ℳσηstər ʇhαʇ ї αɯ -- FIRST VERSION, DISCONTINUED (Sorry)
by A Lonely Rainbow Girl
Summary: /ΔU/ What do you do when you realize your entire life, everything that you knew and believed, was a lie? What happens when your biggest fear is for your only friends to learn your biggest secret? What are you supposed to do when you live in a Guild that bans killing people, yet you have to in order to survive? What do you say when they realize you're a mσηsʇər?
1. I'll be back soon!

**[Background for this fic in on my profile]**

"Blah"- Normal speech

 _'Blah' -Thoughts_

 _"Blah" -Telepathy and flashback._

 **"Blah"** -Unknown [You'll find out later. XD]

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 **I don't own this fandom. Shame, though; I sure wish I did.**

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 **I'll Be Home Soon!**

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He stood there, unmoving. His skin was pale as if it had never met the sun. His hair was a dark brown, and his eyes a warm chocolate. He was wearing nothing more than a dingy old shirt that reached his knees. His ankles and wrists were bound with magic chains and bindings that surrounded him like a straight jacket. He had no name, no thoughts. All he knew was that when they removed the magic from him and pushed the quivering prey into his cage, he was allowed to eat.

He didn't really care about what he was eating, or the screams they let loose. They were merely food- sustenance for his body. He didn't enjoy killing them either, but he had to, otherwise they would bring him something that had been dead for a long time, and it hardly had any food left on it.

The boy looked up when he heard something- was that shouting? He lifted his head, a feat he rarely ever did and saw a body on the floor. Two, in fact. His mouth watered in anticipation when he recognized their scents. These were his masters, and someone had killed them.

As the magic bindings around him weakened, he easily broke the chains and leaped forward onto the bodies and dug his teeth into the fatty flesh on their necks. As their blood ran down his chin, he gave into the ravenous hunger and ate the both of them. When they were nothing more than a pile of blood, cloth, hair, organs and bones, he leaned back and felt the urge fade.

As the realization of what he had done resonated within him, he stared at the bodies in horror. 'What... Am I?' He thought, and stood to his feet, unaware of the tentacles that were forming behind him. 'I'm certainly not human...' He looked at the bones and inspected his own flesh. Two arms, two legs, two eyes, ten fingers, ten toes... he looked like a human but wasn't one. He knew that for certain.

He looked around and saw to his surprise that the thing he had been captive in wasn't a cell at all- it was a giant, light blue crystal. **"Lacrima..."** A voice whispered.

The boy shuddered and stood to his feet, momentarily forgetting the horror he had just committed. Tentatively, he walked over to the crystal and placed his hand upon it. Almost instantly, his hand was sucked inside, and panicking, his tentacles emerged and pushed him out of his once-was prison.

Breathing hard, he peered at his reflection and saw that his right eye was completely black with a red iris, and five blood-red tentacles sprouted from his lower back. Realization struck him like a bullet. _'So that's why they were afraid of me...'_ He thought as he turned away from the Lacrima and headed towards the bodies. _'I look like a monster.'_

He leaned down and tore off a long segment of cloth from one of the bodies and tied it around his head and pulled it down to cover his eye. He frowned when he realized he would be weaker with it on, but in order to pass off as a normal human, he had to wear it. He looked behind him and to his surprise, saw that his tentacles were gone.

 _'Maybe they just appear when I'm in trouble,'_ He thought. He smiled softly as he stood back up from his crouching position and headed to an open doorway. _'So this is it... I'm finally going to leave this place.'_

He walked out and shielded his eyes from the intense light, and his eyes went wide when he saw it. A little girl was sobbing on the ground, water pouring out of one of her eyes as she clutched a battered shield and iron sword in one hand, the other clutching a tattered eye patch. But the most noticeable thing about her was that she had long, bright red hair that gleamed in the sunlight.

Cautiously, he pressed forward until he was close enough to lay a hand on her shoulder, which he did. Startled, her head bolted up, but then sagged and she kept crying.

The boy had no idea what to do- but he was also a little curious. How was water coming out of her eyes? And was it really water? Timidly, he took his hand and brushed away her tears, then licked his now wet hand and scowled. No, it was too salty to be water. Then what...?

"How is water coming out of your eyes?" He asked in a hoarse voice, like it had never been used. Which it hadn't.

The girl looked up at him and brushed away her tears with the back of her hand. "I-I'm cryi-ing," She stammered. The boy noted with interest that he was probably a few years older than her- maybe by two or three. 'I wonder how old I am' He thought, but then the voice answered for him. **"You are nine..."** It whispered, and the boy shuddered, then spoke again. "What is your name?" He asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Erza S-scarlet," She answered, and stood up, wiping the tears from her eyes. With a start, he realized she was trying to be strong in front of him. Some instinct inside of him swelled up, and anger emerged. Whoever made Erza cry would pay, and dearly.

He felt a tug on his arm and glanced down to see Erza with a hand on his, looking up at him. "So what's your name?" She asked, stuttering gone and new found determination in her warm brown eye.

He stiffened, then searched his memory to give her an answer. With a jolt, the world went hazy as voices spoke around him. _"What are we gonna do with a cannibal?"_ A man asked. A feminine voice chuckled darkly. _"Oh, he isn't a cannibal. In fact, he isn't even human."_ A second man asked tentatively, _"Then what is he?"_

 _"A ghoul."_ Was the woman's answer, and the world returned to focus again.

"Ghoul." He answered, and felt slightly proud of himself for figuring out a name, but at the same time, he was scared. Who was that woman? And how did she know what she was?

"I don't like it." Ghoul looked down and saw Erza with her arms crossed, her face lined in a frown. "It doesn't seem like what you are."

Ghoul almost laughed. **"The irony!"** The voice hissed, a laughing undertone to it. Ghoul shuddered, then eyed Erza curiously as she snapped her fingers, seemingly coming to a decision. "What about Kaneki?"

 **"I like that one."** The voice said, and Ghoul blinked, then shrugged. "Alright, but I'll keep Ghoul too." He croaked, then noted with satisfaction that his voice was improving, if ever so slightly.

Erza smiled. "There we go! Kaneki Ghoul it is." She picked up her sword, which she had propped against her leg, and held it loosely in her hand.

Kaneki smiled at her and found it was a pleasant thing to do. "What do you say about leaving this place?" Kaneki asked her, and Erza stiffened. "I can- but you can't." She said softly, and Kaneki felt anger well up inside of him.

 **"Who does this girl think she is, to command us, order us like slaves!"** The voice hissed. **"I say we eat her, here and now."**

Kaneki fought the urge to yell at it. Then again, he would be laughing at himself… Forcing his anger aside, he fixed Erza with a hard look, but not yet unkind. "And what stops me from leaving?" He growled, and saw Erza look at him with surprise, then her eye hardened and she spat out a name. "Jellal."

Kaneki blinked. "Who is he?" He asked, and he had a strange impression that the voice was nodding. "I'd like to know that as well," It muttered and hushed when Erza started to speak.

"Jellal is… _was_ my friend. But something changed. It's almost like he's- he's possessed, or something." A tear ran down her face, and Kaneki just then realized how truly broken she must be. He got close to her and wrapped his arms around her. He had no idea why he did it, but he did. Maybe the voice just gave him the idea, or he just knew it would comfort her. At any rate, she started sobbing again and wrapped both arms around him, her sword and shield landing with a clang.

"It's okay, Erza," Kaneki whispered into her ear. "I won't let you go alone." Erza pushed herself away, her hands tightened into fists. "You can't!" She shouted. "Jellal said he would kill everyone here- all of my friends… everyone would be dead, and he has the power to do it."

Kaneki looked at her sadly, his mind searching for a solution. And then it hit him.

"But Erza, the thing is, no one knows me." She stared at him, and he went on. "I was trapped inside a cell with no one else my entire life, and I just broke free now. You're the first person to speak to me, and give me something."

"Your name," She whispered, and Kaneki nodded, his mouth pulling itself into a grin. "Yup." He kneeled down so they were eye level, and said "So, you see, if Jellal doesn't know I exist, then he can't hurt your friends. They'll be safe, I promise."

Erza smiled softly at him, then looked as if she was making a decision, and before Kaneki could blink, she grabbed his hand, her sword, and shield, and pulled him towards a large archway. "This is the exit way - let's hurry!" She hissed behind her, and let go of his wrist. Kaneki followed closely behind and fought the urge to kneel down and lick the dried blood off the tile floor.

As they burst out into direct sunlight, Kaneki stared at the vast ocean that stood before him, sparkling in the setting sun, getting ready for the moon to rise and show it's brilliance as well.

"Kaneki, come on!" Erza hissed, and Kaneki snapped out of his daze and followed her to the shore, where at least eighteen row boats lay.

"There were more, but the soldiers took them," She said bitterly. She chewed the inside of her cheek, then walked to one of the boats and started hacking at it with her sword. "What are you doing?" Kaneki asked her. "Protecting the others," She called back, not stopping with her work.

 _'Should I help her?'_ He asked the voice and felt surprise emanate from it before it answered. **"About** time **you started talking to me. Gets boring talking to a mindless man-eater."** Kaneki scowled. _'Not helping,'_ He hissed. No answer.

"What an ass," He muttered before shaking his head and allowing his tentacles to unfurl. He lay a hand on Erza's shoulder, and she turned to face him, and then her eye widened with surprise when she saw the large, dangerous blood-red tentacles shimmering behind him.

"I'll do this," He said. "You get in the boat." Erza nodded, her eye not leaving his tentacles, and then she shook her head and hopped into the rowboat.

 _'To celebrate my escape, I'm gonna give you a name,'_ He told the voice. It didn't answer, but Kaneki felt it acknowledge his words with warm approval. He charged at the boats, and his tentacles moved on their own, shattering the wood into splinters. He did the same to each boat, making sure the pieces were unsalvageable. When he was done, he watched his tentacles disperse into nothing and pushed the last remaining boat into the water, careful to grab an extra set of oars from the other boats.

As the waves and current cast them farther and farther away from the towering spire that was their prison, he heard Erza whisper, "One day the R-system will be back in our lives Kaneki, and we won't be able to stop it."

Kaneki sighed and moved closer to her. "No," He agreed. "But what we can do is live the life we have been given to our fullest…"

"And that means finding a place to live." Erza jutted in, and Kaneki nodded. "I know just the place," She continued. "A good friend of mine that was in the tower… he belonged to a guild called Fairy Tail. He promised me that if I went there, I would be welcome."

Kaneki smiled and gently elbowed her side. "I hope it'll include me, too."

Erza shook her head and gave him a teasing smile. "Nah, I don't think they'd like an octopus." Kaneki feigned outrage. "Hey! I'm no octopus!" He cried in indignation and felt his tentacles form again and he spread them out for her to count. "See? I have only five."

Erza giggled. "But what about your arms and legs? You have four of those."

Kaneki nodded. "Exactly. I'd have nine limbs then!"

Erza laughed, and Kaneki joined in. **"Glad to know somebody's happy,"** The voice grunted. Kaneki nodded, not caring if it could tell he was or not. _'Are you a male or-'_ He started before the voice interrupted.

 **"I'm a guy! I'm a guy!"** He cried, and Kaneki chuckled. _'I picked your name out,'_ He said.

 **"Oh?"**

Kaneki nodded. _'I think you'll like it.'_

 **"Well then, tell me already!"** He cried, voice full of anticipation and eagerness.

 _'_ In'na _Akuma,'_ Kaneki said. _'It means inner demon.'_

The voice laughed. **"How appropriate,"** He said. **"Just call me Akuma for short, then."**

Kaneki nodded. "Sure thing… Akuma."

"Kaneki?"

Kaneki turned to look at Erza, whose face was full of slight concern. "Who are you talking to?"

"No one," He answered. "Just a… inner demon of sorts."

Erza nodded and yawned, stretching her arms and laid her head on his shoulder, her eye already closed. Soon, she was fast asleep, leaving Kaneki to think of what tomorrow might hold.

* * *

 **I'll Be Back Soon!**

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"We're here..." Erza breathed as she stared at the large flag flying in the wind. "Fairytail."

Kaneki nodded and gently squeezed her hand. "Let's just hope they like octopuses," He joked, and Erza smiled.

Taking a deep breath, the two of them pushed open the doors and opened a whole new adventure.

It was a huge, open space. Tables laid around, and laughter emanated, bouncing off the stone walls and giving the building a very homelike feel. Suddenly self-conscious, Kaneki reached for his makeshift eyepatch, taking care that it was secure before walking up to a small, elderly man with a white beard and bald head, sitting on the counter of a bar and about to drink.

"We're here to see the master of this Guild," Kaneki said, and Erza flinched as the man set down his cup and laughed. "I am the master! Call me Makarov!" He said, still guffawing. Noticing Erza's discomfort, he stopped laughing and studied them for a moment, taking in their salty smell and grubby clothes. "So, what can I do for you kiddos?" He asked. Kaneki opened his mouth to reply, but Erza blurted "We wanna join Fairy Tail!"

Heads turned, and the laughing volume decreased as conversations erupted about her outburst. Suddenly timid and self-conscious, Erza took Kaneki's hand and looked torn between hiding behind him or being brave for him.

Makarov nodded, humor gone from his face except his twinkling eyes. "Alright then, what type of magic can you kiddo's do?"

Erza glanced up at Kaneki, who nodded, and Erza took a deep breath and closed her eyes. A few seconds later, a red magic circle appeared below her and a sword appeared in her hand.

Makarov whistled. "That's some powerful Re-Quip magic," He said and turned to Kaneki. "What about you?"

Kaneki cringed slightly. _'Hey, Akuma, you seeing this?'_ He asked, and sent a wave of fear and apprehension towards his inner voice. **"Yeah, I am. Whaddaya want?"** Akuma sounded cranky, but Kaneki paid no mind. _'Do you think I should show him my... my...'_

Akuma sighed in exasperation. **"Look, It's called a Kagune! Get it right already!"**

Kaneki chuckled, forgetting he had an audience and sent a glaring feeling towards Akuma, who seemed to shudder and nod his head. **"Alright- Showing him might not be a bad idea, but it would be bad if everyone in the Guild saw it."**

Kaneki raised an eyebrow. _'Well, whaddya know? The voice in my head has brain cells after all!'_

Akuma glared at him before saying, **"Well, hurry up with your answer. They're staring at you."**

Kaneki hastily sent feelings of gratitude before pulling himself out of the telepathic connection and answering Makarov, acting like nothing had happened. "Yes, I'll show you, but can we do it somewhere more private?"

Makarov raised an eyebrow at him. "If you use dark magic, boy, you won't get a warm welcome." Kaneki cringed as the world went hazy again.

 _"I entrust his wellbeing to you, Acnologia. I expect him to be of full health and not crippled in any way."_ A man's voice said softly.

A raspy one asked, _"Do scars count?"_ The man chuckled before answering, _"As long as he does not lose his sight or any body parts, I shall be content."_ Kaneki got the sense that the other person was nodding his head, then he- or she?- asked: "What type of magic does he use?" The other man replied with an emotionless tone, "Curse magic, one of the most forbidden types of magic the humans call 'Dark.'" The raspy voice laughed, and it sounded like nails on a chalkboard. "I'll enjoy keeping a watch on this runt."

"-neki?" "KANEKI!"

The world instantly returned to focus, and he saw himself looking up at the worried face of Erza.

Kaneki groaned. "Wha... What happened?" Erza looked relieved that he was awake and hurriedly explained, "You were fine a bit ago, then you just zoned out and crumpled to the ground. I... I thought..." A tear ran down her face, and Kaneki sat up and hugged her tightly. "I'm not going anywhere Erza. I'm staying alive for a long, long time."

Erza sniffled, then pulled away and wiped her face. Her face then lit up as she exposed her right shoulder, showing off a blue mark the same as the one shown on the flag above the Guild Hall's front doors. "I'm a member now!" She exclaimed proudly, and Kaneki grinned and ruffled her hair. "Cool," He commented as he stood up and felt nauseous, and stumbled. Erza steadied him, concern in her eyes. "Are you okay?" She asked. Kaneki nodded and gently pushed her away, not wanting to seem weak.

"About time you woke up." Kaneki turned to see Master Makarov. "You were out for an hour. I was about to give the Hospital a call!"

Kaneki felt heat rush to his face as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry about that..." He mumbled. Makarov shook his head. "Nah, it's okay lad. I'm actually I didn't have to call them- I already have to pay for Natsu's messes as it is!"

Kaneki blinked. "Who's Natsu?" Erza giggled. "He's a member here, too. He's a year younger than me, as is Gray, Lisanna, and Elfman. Mirajane is my age, though." Kaneki raised an eyebrow at her, and she hurriedly explained: "They're all out on missions."

Kaneki blinked. "Oh." He turned towards Makarov for a moment, who was watching their exchange before Kaneki sent him an unspoken plea that he wanted to speak in private. Thankfully, Makarov understood and said to Erza, "Why don't you go and find Macao and see if he has some clothes you can borrow?" Erza nodded, and with an innocent smile, scampered off to find the target amongst a sea of laughter, beer and destroyed tables.

Makarov gestured to Kaneki, and they both descended a set of stairs and into a crowded basement. "Now, what is it you want to talk to me about?" He asked, and Kaneki took a deep breath before telling Makarov everything.

Makarov looked at Kaneki with newfound respect and fear when he finished speaking. "So... you eat humans?"

Kaneki begrudgingly nodded. "Yes - I have never tasted normal food, and I have no idea if I could eat it or if it will kill me." Makarov nodded, but Kaneki could sense growing tension inside the small man. "Careful, Kid. He's summoning magic," Akuma warned, and Kaneki nodded but made no hostile move.

"And do you swear that you will never harm any member of Fairy Tail, or eat anyone close to any member?" Makarov asked, but it was more a test- Kaneki knew that if he wanted to live, he would answer truthfully.

"I swear upon my life and magic core that I will never harm a single member of Fairy Tail, nor a single soul inside of Mongolia." Kaneki said, and thrust three fingers towards his heart in the sacred act to ward off evil.

Makarov nodded, seemingly satisfied with Kaneki's oath before allowing his hand to glow as he asked: "So, do you want to become a member, or leave and embark on the quest you mentioned earlier?"

Kaneki shook his head. "As much as I would like to stay with Erza, I can't. I don't have as good as a hold upon myself as I'd like, and I want to become strong, to protect her."

Makarov nodded again, a frown tugging at his lips. "She will miss you terribly," He said as Kaneki turned to go. Kaneki nodded and whispered, "I know," and then descended up the stairs. Before he opened the door and into the Hall, Makarov caught his shoulder and asked, "How long will you stay?"

Kaneki sighed. "Until I feel that Erza is safe."

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 **I'll Be Back Soon!**

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"But I don't want you to leave!" Erza cried, tears only coming out of her left eye, a side effect no one knew how to fix. Kaneki looked down at her sadly.

After escaping the R-system, braving the ocean, traveling in an unknown world, then living and joining Fairy Tail, Kaneki knew Erza expected him to stay and be her older brother. But Kaneki knew that he wouldn't be able to do that- not until he got some answers about what he was and figured out to control his magic, which was similar to Takeover magic, yet it wasn't.

He kneeled down and looked her in the eyes, hers full of tears and his full of kind yet firm love, the kind he had to adapt to after becoming her unnamed older brother.

"Hey." Erza sniffled, and Kaneki gently wiped her tears away. "It'll be fine. I'll come back, I promise."

Erza perked up slightly after that, then asked with a small smile "And then we can spar again, right?"

Kaneki nodded, a smile tugging at his lips. "Right."

Erza was motionless for a second, then threw her arms around him. Kaneki stiffened, then exhaled a breath he didn't know he had been holding and hugged her back, armor and all.

"I love you, Nii-san," She whispered into his ear.

Kaneki smiled, then whispered back "Me too, Erza." After a moment, he added "And I promise, when I return, no one will ever hurt you ever again.

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 **I'll Be Home Soon!**

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 **Next Time on Fairy Tail!**

Phantom attacks; what for? A new member is introduced to the Guild; who is he and why does Erza seem to know him? And why does his takeover look so weird? Stay tuned for our next episode : The Phantom Lord!

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 **[EDIT- I added to this chapter because I felt like it was missing some stuff, and, of course, bonding!]**

 **[EDIT OF EDITS - Cut out the AN at the top. It was annoying me, and added a disclaimer.]**

 **[EDIT OF EDIT OF EDITS - How many typos can this thing even have?!]**

 **[EDIT OF EDIT OF EDIT OF EDITS - Oh man. I'm done; I'm done. Too... many... typos...]**

 **Updates are monthly, unless people give me the required number of reviews. If they do, I update early. If not, I keep with my usual schedule.**

 **So! Please tell me how you like it- again, I'm new at this, and tips would be nice.**

 **I know Erza is a bit OOC in this, but I'll try to follow the anime as best as I can, though I'm not going to do ALL the filler episodes. I'll tell you which one's I'll skip and the ones I change.**


	2. The Phantom Lord!

**To Tohou is Life, I fixed Kaneki's spelling. ****And before you ask, Kaneki will NOT be paired with Erza. The relationship they have is more brother-sisterly.**

 **And also, here are some things about me you should keep in mind:**

 **-I don't add OC's unless they are going to be part of the story in a very vital way, such as Akuma and a secret one...**

 **-I will have chapters here and there in place of Filler's where Kaneki eats people.**

 **-I will try to keep to the character's personalities as much as possible.**

 **-I will also try to keep the chapters around 4k words, and no less, either.**

 **So, major time skip on this chappie, which starts in the Phantom Lord arc, Season 1 episode 21!**

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 **I don't own this fandom. Shame, though; I sure wish I did.**

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 **Last time on Fairy Tail!**

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 _"But I don't want you to leave!" Erza cried, tears only coming out of her left eye, a side affect no one knew how to fix. Kanecki looked down at her sadly. After escaping the R-system, braving the ocean, travelling in an unknown world, then living and joining Fairy Tail, Kanecki knew Erza expected him to stay and be her older brother. But Kaneki knew that he wouldn't be able to do that- not until he got some answers about what he was and figured out to control his magic, which was similar to Takeover magic, yet it wasn't._

 _He kneeled down and looked her in the eyes, hers full of tears and his full of kind yet firm love, the kind he had to adapt to after becoming her unnamed older brother._

 _"Hey." Erza sniffled, and Kaneki gently wiped her tears away. "It'll be fine. I'll come back, I promise."_

 _Erza perked up slightly after that, then asked with a small smile "And then we can spar again, right?"_

 _Kaneki nodded, a smile tugging at his lips. "Right."_

 _Erza was motionless for a second, then threw her arms around him. Kaneki stiffened, then exhaled a breath he didn't know he had been holding and hugged her back, armor and all. "I love you, Nii-san," She whispered into his ear. Kaneki smiled, then whispered back "Me too, Erza." After a moment, he added "And I promise, when I return, no one will ever hurt you ever again."_

* * *

 **The Phantom Lord!**

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"Man, I'm glad to be back!" Natsu exclaimed as he walked down the street with Happy flying next to him. The blue cat nodded. "Yup!" He agreed. "I can't wait to sink my teeth into some juicy fish!"

Lucy eyed the cat. "What's with you and fish, anyway?" She asked. Before Happy could answer, Gray answered for him. "Don't even bother asking, Lucy. He's a cat and that's that." Happy scowled at the Ice Make wizard, and Natsu glared at his sometimes rival.

"Are you really gonna talk to Happy like that?" He growled. "So what if I am?" Gray retorted. Cold and hot auras surrounded them as they were violating their personal space.

"Boys! Stop fighting this instant!" Erza yelled, and Natsu and Gray instantly backed up and sweat dropped. "Yes ma'am," They said meekly, then continued walking, occasionally shooting glares at each other.

'I can never tell if they're serious,' Lucy thought as she eyed the two male wizards. As the five of them neared the Guild Hall, Natsu exclaimed "Oh yeah! The minute I'm back, we're all going on another job!"

"No way, Natsu! I'm going to eat first!" Lucy shouted, and Erza stopped walking, her face full of sorrow as she faced Lucy. "I apologize for not stopping on our journey sooner to satisfy your stomach, Lucy. For that reason, you may strike me." Lucy sweat dropped again as she waved her hands in a 'no way!' manner. "Uh, no thanks, that's not really in my best interest..." She replied, and Erza only nodded and continued walking.

"Smart move." Natsu and Gray said at the same time. As they neared the Guild Hall, the townspeople started whispering.

"Are they part of Fairy Tail?"

"I don't think they know what happened."

"Oh, the poor dears."

"I hope they kick Phantom to the curb!"

Gray raised an eyebrow. "Why is everybody staring at us?"

"It's not the good kind of staring..." Happy said and flew a little closer to Natsu.

"Feels like... pity," Erza observed, and looked at the surrounding faces, taking in their sad expressions. All five of them stopped and stared when the Guild Hall came into sight. Iron pillars were thrust through the walls, coming out from the ceiling and scattering debris.

"Why does the Guild Hall look so bizarre?" She wondered out loud.

"No way..." Natsu breathed.

"I don't understand..." Lucy muttered and stared at the catastrophe.

"What's happened to it?!" Erza exclaimed.

"O-our Guild..." Natsu breathed. "Someone did this to our Guild!"

"But who would do such a thing?" Erza asked.

"It was Phantom." They all whirled around to find Mirajane with a solemn expression on her face. "You mean... Phantom did this?" Natsu growled, his eyes cold and menacing.

"I couldn't do anything to stop them," Mirajane explained. "They got us good..."

As they walked into the Hall, Mirajane led them to the basement, where the rest of Fairy Tail was residing. "We've never been on the same terms with those Phantom jerks, but come on!" Jet complained. "Don't you guys wanna teach 'em a lesson?" Droy asked. "Back off you guys. Don't you think we're in enough trouble already?" Levy pointed out.

When Erza, Lucy, Natsu, Gray, and Happy walked over to the bar counter, they were startled by a drunk Makarov. "Yo! What's up, kids?"

"Uh... hi?" Lucy said, taking in the Mater's drunken state. "Sorry we weren't here sooner," Erza apologized, but Natsu wasn't so solemn.

"What the heck are you guys just sitting around here for?!" He exclaimed, but Makarov didn't seem to hear. "How'd it go, Lucy? Get the job like a good girl?" He asked, his words slurred. "Yeah, I guess so..." Lucy answered, not really knowing what else to say.

"Master, do you understand the gravity of this situation? The Guild Hall has been completely destroyed!" Erza exclaimed, but it didn't phase the drunken wizard.

"There's no need to get yourselves all worked up. It's not the end of the world or anything. Besides, we have a new member to congratulate. That's some good news, eh?" With that, he laughed, his breath smelling of fowl booze.

All five of them perked up a bit. "Who is this guy?" Natsu asked, his anger distracted but not gone. "He came early today, walked right in and straight up to Mira, saying he wanted to join the Guild," Elfman answered as he stood by his sister at the bar. "Got the Guild Mark over his eye, ordered coffee and didn't say another word." He glanced at one of the tables and added, "Still hasn't, either."

They all turned to get a glimpse of the new member. He looked to be about 24, with shaggy snow white hair that dangled in his eyes, which were a harsh brown. His left one was covered with a white medical eyepatch that he adjusted every so often, as if to make sure it was still there. He had a lanky, skinny look to him, but he also carried an air of strength as well. He seemed to sense someone was looking at him and he looked up from his drink. When his eyes met Lucy's, she shivered, but she didn't know why. And she also didn't know why he seemed so familiar…

To their surprise, he stood up and walked over to the bar, his long black overcoat nearly dragging on the ground. As he got closer, Lucy saw that his skin was super pale, and there was a sudden sadness about him, as if it took courage to smile. Nevertheless, he gave them a small, sad smile and pointed at his right eye, which had a bright red Fairy Tail mark over it.

"Took me a while to find the Guild again, but at least I got here." He said, and Lucy was struck by how... eerie she felt, as if he was a threat to her very survival. Shaking her head, she gave him a smile and said "I'm Lucy, and this is my team, apparently," And gestured to the others.

Gray raised an eyebrow. "Who ever said it was your team?"

"Yeah!" Natsu added. Before they could engage in combat- Again -Erza stopped them with a death glare.

"Because, boys, you are both too incompetent to be even peaceful for two minutes!" She growled, and they both sweat dropped and paled under her gaze.

"Don't kill us..." They said meekly, and the guy raised an eyebrow. "Is this for real?" He asked, and Lucy nodded with a sheepish smile. "Oh, trust me, it gets worse..."

"So, what are your names?" He asked them, and Natsu answered first. "I'm Natsu, and this is my best friend, Happy!" Happy, who had been munching on fish at the bar, looked up and said: "Aye, Sir!" And then went back to happily munching.

The new member eyed Happy curiously. "Whoa. I didn't think there were more of you guys..." He muttered, then looked expectantly at Gray and Erza.

"I'm Gray Fullbuster, and that Pyro over there is Natsu Dragneel," Gray introduced. "Who are you calling a Pyro, Ice Princess?!" Natsu exclaimed, and then they were at it again. Only this time, it wasn't Erza that tore them apart.

The new guy held out his hand at them, and ice five crimson tentacles erupted from his lower back, holding them both firmly in place with their eyes wide and jaws low.

"No more fighting." He said emotionlessly, and turned to Erza, shaking his head. "Honestly, they're both idiots," He muttered.

Erza was staring at him as well, her eyes wide with- fear? Surprise? Lucy couldn't tell, but it seemed as if all conversations stopped when Kaneki chuckled and added, "Sorry I took so long, little sister."

* * *

 **The Phantom Lord!**

* * *

Kaneki looked at Erza, who was frozen in place as she registered that he was back. **"Man, I thought you'd get more of a welcome party,"** Akuma muttered. Kaneki fought the urge to roll his eyes as he answered _'Shut up, Akuma. I haven't seen her in 15 years._ Of course _she's going to-'_

Before he could finish, Erza requipped into her Angel armor and held a sword at his neck. "I believe we are in need of a duel," She said coldly, and Kaneki sighed.

 **"Want to kill you?"** Akuma finished with a glint of sarcasm. This time, Kaneki did roll his eyes, and he smirked at her and used his speed, knowing that with her human reflexes, she would be too slow.

Summoning his Kagune, as Akuma called them, he released Gray and Natsu, then hardened his appendages to the consistency of steel and pointed two at Erza's neck, while two others held her arms behind her head. The fifth one, the longest one, was poised above his head like a scorpion. All of this took less than a second, and when everyone realized that Erza was in danger, magic seals and circles glowed, and all were silent as they watched what would happen next, tension growing rapidly.

Kaneki sighed and said out loud, "Erza, you're reflexes are too slow. If you went against Jet, I bet he'd be able to lay a few blows on you." Erza nodded, and a smile tugged at her lips as she shook her head. "As always, trying to teach me, huh, Kaneki?"

In response, Kaneki allowed his Kagune to dissolve, and Erza requipped into her normal armor. "And I see that you now have quite the collection," He commented, and took a piece of her hair, holding it in his hands. He was about to speak again, but Erza threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "I missed you so much," She whispered. Kaneki smiled and closed his eyes, hugging her back. "Me too," He whispered.

After a few moments, they both let go, and before he could protest, Erza grabbed his arm and held it high, for the entire Guild to see. "This is my brother, Kaneki Ghoul. He left the Guild for fifteen years, and now he has come back home!"

"OH YEAH! PARTY TIME!" Natsu yelled, and punched Elfman in the face. Gray headed to the bar as well, top discarded amongst the frenzy. Kaneki laughed and hung back, watching everyone's spirits soar, their happiness rising.

 _'Humans have good lives, don't they?'_ He said to Akuma, who was silent, watching everything from Kaneki's eyes. **"Yeah, I guess. But they are pretty cheap, too."** The demon muttered. Kaneki raised an eyebrow, not caring if anyone saw.

 _'How so?'_ He asked.

Akuma sighed. **"Well, for starters, Humans have very short life spans. They need to eat and drink daily, and too less will kill them and too much will ruin them. Put them around too much money and they become greedy, and too little will make them too needy."**

 _'But they make up for it with their lives, their passion, and their hope,'_ Kaneki pointed out, some part of him wanting to defend the creatures he secretly admired and enjoyed.

 **"Not all humans deserve to be prey, but some just... do. And some don't think they deserve the life they have been given, while others believe the world won't function without them."** Akuma whispered, and Kaneki felt sadness emanating from his Link.

 _'Hey, man... let's just watch them, okay?'_ Kaneki offered, and Akuma sighed. "Sure. And if you tell a soul that I cried-" **"Sure. And if you tell a soul that I cried-"**

Kaneki laughed. "I know, I know. You'll grill my insides." With that, they both fell silent as they watched the fights between Natsu and Gray, the laughter and conversations that buzzed around them, and the homelike feeling that seeped into their bones and warmed their hearts.

"So this is what it means to have a family..." Kaneki whispered, and closed his eyes and leaned back, his face aimed towards the ceiling. "I think I like it..."

* * *

 **The Phantom Lord!**

* * *

Lucy sighed as she settled into her bathtub, hugging Plou close to her chest. She lifted her hands above her head to stretch and saw that they were starting to wrinkle. 'Guess I've been in for too long,' She thought and wrapped a towel around her, then gently lifted Plou out from the tub and drained the water. When she was finally dressed and wrapped a new towel around her hair, she left the bathroom and her jaw dropped when she saw Natsu, Gray, Erza and the new member- was it Kakashi?- lounging about.

"YOU'RE TOUCHING MY STUFF WITHOUT ASKING FIRST! WHY ARE YOU HERE?!" She screamed, but none of them were fazed, although Kaka- no, it was Kaneki- looked a little jumpy and uncomfortable, like he didn't really know what to do.

"Since the Guild's been attacked, we can assume there are Phantom Lord members in town," Erza told her after Lucy had calmed down. "They probably found out where everyone in Fairy Tail lives by now," Gray added. This didn't calm Lucy down, though. Quite the opposite.

"THEY KNOW WHERE WE LIVE?!" She exclaimed, panic over taking her, but with a comical expression on her face. "Erza said it would be safer if you guys stuck together," Kaneki said. "You know, strength in numbers." Gray interjected. Kaneki shot him a glare, then continued. "And I kinda want to be near Erza for a while, so it's a win-win for the six of us."

Lucy sighed. "I guess she's right..." She looked around at all of them, and her eyes widened into saucers when she saw Plou eating a box of candy. Natsu ran over to the Celestial Spirit, asking "Hey, Plou! Did you find anything to eat?" Gray had settled himself down at her desk, reading a manuscript, which Lucy didn't really notice. Happy was shifting through her dirty clothes hamper, and said "Hey Erza! Come and lookie at Lucy's frilly panties!" Erza held them up, her eyes full of amazement and disgust. "I can't believe you'd wear something like this, Lucy!"

Lucy just deadpanned. "You guys are taking this make yourselves at home thing way too seriously..."

She looked up when she saw Kaneki eye the commotion with uneasiness, and he just sat down on the floor near the door, as if he was preparing himself to make a break for it. Lucy walked over to him and sat down next to him, not noticing that he cringed when her hand brushed against his. As she got herself comfortable, his hand went up towards his eyepatch, seemingly to make sure it was secure.

"So, how do you and Erza know each other?" Lucy asked. "I heard her call you brother back at the Guild, but you guys don't really look alike..."

Kaneki laughed and sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "Well, that's a super long story..."

 **"Don't tell her everything, kid. Erza might not have told them anything- And I think I'm right."**

 _'Aw gee, thanks, Akuma. Never thought of it,'_ Kaneki muttered sarcastically, sending feelings of sarcasm towards his Link and smirking when he felt Akuma's annoyance.

Turning his attention back to Lucy, Kaneki vaguely noticed that Natsu and Gray were both paying attention, while Erza eyed him slightly, as if to say, _"Don't tell them everything."_ Kaneki gave her a slight nod, then started with his modified version of the truth.

"Erza and I grew up in an orphanage, but it was a Squalid* one." Lucy winced, and Natsu looked irked, and the air around Gray shimmered with the cold. "One day, a group of... us decided to escape, and Erza managed to rile everyone up, and we attacked the Masters, and that's when-"

"That's when I discovered my Magic, same with Kaneki," Erza interjected. Kaneki reached out his consciousness and felt her apprehension and - fear? Fear of being discovered, or fear of something else? Nevertheless, Kaneki decided to go on. "We fought the Masters for a long time, but... But we were the only ones to escape."

Happy flew over to him, and Kaneki looked up at the blue cat. "But you have us now!" He exclaimed, and Natsu grinned. "That's right! You're part of Fairy Tail, part of our family, and our team!" He roared, and Happy added, "And we're the strongest team in Fairy Tail!"

Gray sighed and muttered "Idiots," While Lucy gave Kaneki a kind and sympathetic smile. "They're right," Erza said. Kaneki turned to look at her and felt a pang of loss. He hadn't seen her in fifteen years- how many laughs, smiles, sorrows and sobs had he missed? How many times had she been in danger, yet he had been elsewhere?

 _'I promised you Erza, that once I got back, I'd never leave you...'_ Kaneki thought, and without warning, brought her into a tight hug. _'And I keep my promises.'_ Akuma made no reply, even though Kaneki knew his Link could hear him. As the Half-Human let go of his sister, he watched as the others were in conversations, fights, and squabbles.

Suddenly, he felt a strange presence invade his mind, and it wasn't Akuma. This was a harsh, cold, ancient feeling. Kaneki Ghoul, It said, and Kaneki got the dazed sense the voice was female.

 _ **Do you promise not to harm a member of Fairy Tail?**_ Struggling to make his voice heard through the thick fog that blocked him from Akuma, and reality. _'I- I promise...'_ He felt her satisfaction, and she said, **_Then I shall hold you to your word, child of Zeref._**

The crushing feeling faded, and Kaneki saw through hazy vision that Natsu was shaking him, but he was too dazed to acknowledge his surroundings. Kaneki felt something inside of him tear, and with an animalistic wail, he crumpled to the floor.

* * *

 **The Phantom Lord!**

* * *

As Kaneki opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was that his eyepatch was gone. In a panic, he bolted upright and covered his eye with his hand, his other searching furiously for his missing article. As he looked around, he found that he could smell blood and the slight reek of death. As he took an inventory of his surroundings, he let his hand drop as he realized where he was. A hospital- the very hospital where Makarov would've taken him if he hadn't woken up an hour earlier than he did, all those fifteen years ago.

An unbidden smile formed at Kaneki's lips, and as he looked to his left, his eyes widened. Lying there, broken, battered and beaten were Levy, Jet and Droy- and they reeked of Gajeel.

Kaneki gritted his teeth and felt his anger trigger his kakugan, but he didn't care. Gajeel had done this to his Guild Mates- his FAMILY- and NO ONE did that and got away with it.

He sat up and saw with relief that nothing was inside of him, or any bandages. **"About time you woke up,"** Akuma muttered. Kaneki sighed and glanced around the room- Levy, Jet and Droy were all out cold, and no one else seemed to be present, either.

"How long was I out?" Kaneki asked his Link, and got out of bed, looking for his eyepatch.

 **"A day or so. Those humans of yours were really worried- their reactions were really funny when you passed out."**

"Do you know where they went?" Kaneki asked again, then let out a faint 'YES' of triumph when he spotted his eyepatch- it was hanging on the door. He grabbed it and secured it over his left eye, listening to Akuma as he did. **"Well, that's a pretty funny story... apparently, as you noticed, Gajeel beat up Shadow Gear - what a dumb name - and Fairy Tail went to war against Phantom Lord."**

Kaneki raised an eyebrow. "Did they want me to come with?" He asked, and frowned when he realized his cloak was nowhere to be found.

 **"Hell yeah! Natsu was pissed because he didn't get to challenge you, either. Idiot..."** Akuma muttered, then seemed to stiffen up. **"Kid, someone's coming down the hall towards us... you hungry at all?"**

Kaneki growled before answering in a hushed whisper, "No, and shut up for a minute. It gets annoying when you talk to me when I'm in a conversation!"

Akuma rolled his eyes. **"Sure thing, squid boy."** Before Kaneki could retaliate, the door opened to reveal Lucy, who looked startled to see he was awake.

"Oh, Kaneki!" She greeted. "I didn't realize you were awake..." Kaneki shook his head. "Nah, I just woke up."

 _'SCORE!'_ He thought when he spotted his cloak. He pulled it on and sighed in relief as his lower back was covered.

Turning his attention back to Lucy, he asked, "So they're all at Phantom Lord then?" Lucy nodded, and looked puzzled as to how he knew, but apparently decided against it, asking, "Do you want to help me shop? I mean, I'm only heading to the marketplace, but..."

"You'd like some company, right?" Kaneki guessed, and Lucy nodded, blushing slightly. **"Oooh, somebody's gotta girlfriend!"** Akuma mocked in a sing-song voice, and it was all Kaneki do not to punch a wall through. _'Shut up, asswipe.'_ He shot back and smirked in satisfaction when Akuma only sputtered, then stayed silent.

As she helped him find his shoes, Lucy muttered, "Honestly, you're as bad as Natsu." As Kaneki was halfway through pulling his right boot on, he looked up and raised an eyebrow at her.

"How so?"

Lucy blushed, her cheeks a light pink as she stammered, "Well... uh... Natsu is, well... he's bad at finding things, and you're the same..." She trailed off, her face getting redder by the minute, but Kaneki wasn't fazed. He knew girls had a liking for the silent, mysterious types, but his life? That was one mystery no one wanted to find out.

Knowing it was for the best, he pulled on his shoes and stood up to face her, forcing his face to be emotionless and unreadable.

"Look, Lucy, I know you have a crush or liking to me - just know that I'm not the pursuing type." Lucy stared at him, speechless, and Kaneki went on, keeping his tone blunt and face emotionless.

"I'm not the type of person you'd like." With a dry chuckle, he thought, _'Oh, why not?'_ and added, "Besides, I'm not even human."

With that slightly creepy and eerie note, his face returned to normal and he answered her original question.

"And yes, I'll go with you. Let's go!" And then he grabbed her hand and vaulted her off her feet, destination already mapped out.

 _'What does he mean, he's not even human?'_ Lucy thought. _'I wonder...'_

* * *

 **Next time on Fairy Tail!**

* * *

Fairy Tail goes to War against Phantom, and Erza must call a retreat when Makarov is defeated. Meanwhile, Lucy is kidnapped by two of the Element Four; Juvia the rain woman and Sol of the air. Will our newest hero prevail, or will his dark side come into light? Stay tuned for our next episode: Lucy Heartfilia!

* * *

 **[EDIT: Akuma's voice is no longer italicized. Typos are fixed. See any errors?]**

 **[EDIT OF EDITS: How many times am I going to do this? I swear, in a year, I'll look back on this and find _soooo_ many typos...]**


	3. Lucy Heartfilia!

**Thanks to Suicide Forest, XxEcciel19, Person, Guest, crazyhorse1774, daliapv perez and Touhou is Life for reviewing! I'm glad you like it!**

 **AND THANKS TO EVERYONE THAT HAS FOLLOWED THIS STORY! I AM SOOOO HAPPY!**

 **Touhou is Life** \- Yes, there is kakuja action in this chapter, but not the centepide kind- Kaneki will obtain Centepide form in book three. Sorry! ^^; And, in a way, Akuma is Rize, but he isn't sinister- his job is to guide and protect Kaneki, but the answer to that will come in later chapters during the **[SPOILER!]** Edolas Arc. RIZE IS IN THIS CHAPTER, THOUGH! And don't worry, I will only have TWO oc's in this story, and the rest will be original Fairy Tail and **[SPOILER ALERT!]** Tokyo Ghoul characters.

 **XxExceil19 -** Yes, I know all human food tastes gross to Ghouls. I just think It'd be funny if Cana or Natsu put a few shots of it into his coffe, he drank it, and got hilariously drunk. It's just for a funny side chapter, and I think It'd be fun to write.

 **daliapv perez** \- If you are looking for more Kaneki/Erza interaction, then don't worry! There's gonna be PLENTY of it next chapter, and during the **[SPOILER!]** Jellal Arc.

* * *

 **I don't own this fandom. Shame, though; I sure wish I did.**

* * *

 **Last time on Fairy Tail!**

* * *

 _"Oh, Kaneki!" She greeted. "I didn't realize you were awake..." Kaneki shook his head. "Nah, I just woke up."_ 'SCORE!' _He thought when he spotted his cloak. He pulled it on and sighed in relief as his lower back was covered. Turning his attention back to Lucy, he asked, "So they're all at Phantom Lord then?" Lucy nodded, and looked puzzled as to how he knew, but apparently decided against it, asking "Do you want to help me shop? I mean, I'm only heading to the marketplace, but..."_

 _"You'd like some company, right?" Kaneki guessed, and Lucy nodded, blushing slightly._ ** _"Oooh, somebody's gotta girlfriend!"_ **_Akuma mocked in a sing song voice, and it was all Kaneki do not to punch a wall through._ 'Shut up, ass wipe.' _He shot back, and smirked in satisfaction when Akuma only sputtered, then stayed silent._

 _As she helped him find his shoes, Lucy muttered, "Honestly, you're as bad as Natsu." As Kaneki was halfway through pulling his right boot on, he looked up and raised an eyebrow at her. "How so?" Lucy blushed, her cheeks a light pink as she stammered, "Well... uh... Natsu is, well... he's bad at finding things, and you're the same..." She trailed off, her face getting redder by the minute, but Kaneki wasn't phased. He knew girls had a liking for the silent, mysterious types, but his life? That was one mystery no one wanted to find out._

 _Knowing it was for the best, he pulled on his shoes and stood up to face her, forcing his face to be emotionless and unreadable. "Look, Lucy, I know you have a crush or liking to me- just know that I'm not the pursuing type." Lucy stared at him, speechless, and Kaneki went on, keeping his tone blunt and face emotionless. "I'm not the type of person you'd like." With a dry chuckle, he thought_ 'Oh, why not?' _and added, "Besides, I'm not even human."_

 _With that slightly creepy and eerie note, his face returned to normal and he answered her original question. "And yes, I'll go with you. Let's go!" And then he grabbed her hand and vaulted her off her feet, destination already mapped out._

'What does he mean, he's not even human?' _Lucy thought._ 'I wonder...'

* * *

 **Lucy Heartfilia!**

 _ **Living like it's the end…**_

* * *

"...Towering above them all is the massive branch of the Phantom Lord Guild."

"Oh, we can't let him have all the fun."

"Yeah, we need to try our fun at picking off a few fairy wings ourselves."

As three wizards walked towards the doors to exit their guild, the door combusted with so much force that the three of them were sent tumbling backwards, covered in soot and dazed.

As everyone peered through the door, Natsu Dragneel could be seen, a badass glare on his face and his Guild mark facing Phantom Lord, all of Fairy Tail behind him, and Makarov's words, "FAIRY TAIL HAS COME CALLING!" was the last thing everyone could properly hear before utter chaos broke loose as each side charged each other, one thirsting for revenge, and the other ready to prove they were the best.

"ALRIGHT, WHO WANT'S TO PLAY WITH FIRE?!"

* * *

 **Lucy Heartfilia!**

 _ **It's never going to end…**_

* * *

"Ugh. I can't believe everyone just... took off without me." Lucy complained. Kaneki rolled his eyes and said, "You mean us. I wanna smash in a few heads too, ya know." Lucy nodded, then said on a more solemn note, "But I guess Levy and the boys need someone to look after them, so I guess it's up to us..."

Kaneki grinned and shifted the bag of groceries in his hand. They both stopped walking when rain started to fall. "It's raining while the sun's still out?" Lucy muttered. Kaneki sniffed the air in deeply, then froze when Akuma growled, **"Careful, kid. Someone's coming- and they reek of opposition."** Kaneki nodded his head slightly, and prepared himself, his body going rigid as he instinctively thought of battle strategies.

Lucy called out, "Who are you?"

As the mysterious persona came into view, Kaneki got a good look. She was dressed in all blue, and her hair was a sky blue that was curled into a tube below her ears. Her dress was knee length, and her skin was pale like his. Her eyes, however, gave her a startling appearance. They were a deep blue, but were emotionless, and depression rolled off her in waves that Kaneki cringed.

"Drip, drip, drop. Juvia is the rain woman. It's always with me." She said, not really answering Lucy's original question. Lucy sweat dropped at her strange answer, and Kaneki set the groceries on a windowsill, preparing for a fight he knew would come. As much as he hated to admit it, Akuma was never wrong.

"And what sort of woman are you, pray tell?" Juvia asked Lucy as she neared them. "Ah, I'm just the regular kind," Lucy replied, and Kaneki smirked when he realized she believed herself to be normal. Oh, how wrong she was…

"Drip, drip, drop..." Juvia chanted as she passed Lucy by. "What's with all the drip-dropping?" Lucy asked. Juvia unfurled a pink umbrella, and without turning around, said, "Pleasure to meet you. I'll be going now."

"WELL TAKE THE RAIN WITH YA!" Lucy yelled, a peeved look on her face that was so comical, Akuma burst out laughing, making Kaneki cringe from the noise. _'Would you knock that off?'_ Kaneki complained. _'I need to focus.'_

"Non non non!" A strange voice chanted. Kaneki immediately got into a fighting stance, and rain that collected on the ground formed into a strange shape. This time, it was a man that came into view, and he extended his arm in a strange way as he introduced himself. "I bid you bonjour, mademoiselle."

"GREAT, ANOTHER WEIRDO?!" Lucy exclaimed, again with such a comical expression that even Kaneki had to snicker. "Juvia, you mustn't shy away from ze task at hand!" The man scolded, and Kaneki stiffened when Akuma let out a low, menacing growl. **"Careful..."**

"No, monsieur Sol." Juvia replied in her emotionless manner. "My monocle, it whispers to me, yes," Sol said, his face twisted in a creepy way and giving off magic vibes. Kaneki once again got into a fighting stance, and wondered if he should attack first. "It tells us that this mademoiselle is our cible..."

"Does it? So she is the one..." Juvia said, and when Lucy noticed Kaneki was prepared to fight, she gripped her keys as she put her guard up.

"Cible... That means target." Lucy muttered, then she froze as she realized who they were. "You're the one's who attacked my friends, aren't you?!" She demanded.

Sol bent his body in an unnatural angle, but by this point Lucy and Kaneki had seen enough weirdos that they weren't phased. "Ah, pardon me. I have not told you my name." Sol said, completely ignoring Lucy's original outburst, and extended his hand once more, but this time removing his monocle. "I am Sol of ze element four, also known as Sol of ze air, but I'd prefer to be called monsieur Sol."

Kaneki stepped forward so that Lucy was behind him. "You're with Phantom Lord, right?" He asked coldly, and felt the familiar tingle when his Kagune formed, taking their familiar positions.

"Ah, right you are! We have been sent here to collect Mademoiselle Heartfilia, and we are to bring you back to the Guild with us at once!" He turned to Kaneki, his expression sinister as he said, "But you are a mere nuisance ze were not expecting."

Kaneki glared at Sol. "This 'nuisance' is a member of Fairy Tail, and the guy who's going to rip that ridiculous look off your face," He snarled, and felt the animalistic urges return- primarily, the urge to kill all those who challenge him, and to feed - to fill up his bottomless stomach and let their blood rain down his face, to rip into their flesh and hear them scream.

Kaneki hated it.

"My companion iz a rain woman, who is also part of ze element four," Sol continued like Kaneki hadn't said a thing, but Kaneki could feel Sol's magical energy rising, preparing to attack his opponent. The animal in Kaneki craved to charge the wizard, to gut him and beat him and eat him alive. But as Akuma's soothing presence enveloped him, Kaneki's human nature took hold and became stronger, his Ghoul attributes a mere nuisance next to the immense power he wielded.

"She iz known az Juvia of ze great sea," Sol said. Lucy turned and gripped her Key pouch, her body ready in a fighting stance, her face contorted with fury. "You're the ones who attacked my friends, aren't you?" She growled, her tone demanding an answer. Before Kaneki could move, a giant bubble of water enveloped Lucy, and as she banged against the sphere with her fist, Kaneki felt the strength drain from him as he stared at Juvia. Akuma lost his hold as Kaneki felt himself fall into the oblivion of his insanity.

This woman... no, human, had the power to trap him, to cage him and lock him away as long as she pleased, to feed him scraps and torture him day and night. She had power over him, she instilled fear in his heart... and as the eyepatch fell from Kaneki's face, pure insanity glinted in his eyes. "I'll kill you..." He hissed. "I'll gut you and carve you and clean your bones!" With that, he charged, and as his Kagune went through Juvia, he saw her stare in horror at the blood that dripped from her shoulder.

Kaneki withdrew his Kagune, and as the magic bubble around Lucy burst, he hissed again and cackled insanely. "Oops... I missed." He froze as Akuma enveloped him, wrestling his mind for dominance. Kaneki let out an ear piercing wail and screamed, "No! I am in control! No one can command me! No one can touch me! **NO ONE CAN TRAP ME AGAIN!** " He screamed, and the windows shattered, and Sol and Juvia both stared as they felt magical energy roll off them in waves.

 _'This boy...'_ Juvia thought as she watched blood pour out of his ears, and he contorted in spasms on the ground. _'What is he?'_

* * *

 **Lucy Heartfilia!**

 ** _So open your eyes and listen to me_**

* * *

 _"Please, Ani-chan! Don't go!"_ A little girl cried as she clung to a boy's hand. He had an eyepatch over his left eye, and his hair was a dark brown. _"Please don't leave me like he did!"_ She cried again. The boy dropped to his knees and turned to face her and wiped the tears from her face and licked his hand, then scowled. _"Have you been crying a lot?"_

She nodded, and the boy sighed and shook his head. _"Well, don't. I promise you, I'll come back to Cait Shelter - I just have to say hi to my other sister, too."_

As she started to cry again, Kaneki felt himself shake her shoulders as he screamed, "What is your name?!" But she didn't seem to hear him- she just whispered, _"See you soon then, Ani-chan."_

Suddenly, he was in the Lacrima again, trapped inside the tower, and the disembodied voice whispered into his ear, _"Don't you want to destroy humanity? After all, they locked you inside this cage..."_ The boy shook his head. _"No! I will not harm a human life, even if they treat me like a monster!"_ The voice's previous calm demeanor was gone, replaced by anger. _"Then let us see how well you fare if you must kill to survive!"_ Pain raced through him, and the boy lost himself amongst the pain he deserved.

The image changed again, and bright light surrounded him. A kind, warm voice, like an angel whispered, _"Oh, my son. I never wished for you to fall with your brother, but I can see that you are too much like your father..."_ A warm hand caressed his cheek, and she whispered, _"Never forget who you are, my son. Never forget..."_

The images around him swirled in a vortex of images, voices and color. Then, suddenly, it was gone, and he was left alone in the void, nameless and at the mercy of the prison around him.

He felt an unbidden presence in him stir, and suddenly he was chained to a chair, blood surrounding him and dripping onto the pure white flowers that could be seen for miles. The world around him had no beginning or end, no ground or sky- it was endless, infinite.

 _I haven't seen you in a while._

Kaneki turned to see a woman dressed in a cute style dress that looked as if it was hand made. Her hair was a light violet shade, and her eyes were an even lighter purple with a slight silvery sheen. On her face were a pair of red rimmed glasses, and she would have passed for a normal person, had seven Kagune not extend from her back. She was Rize, Akuma's sister and Kaneki's Ghoul personality. She was as bloodthirsty as she was cunning, and always ready to take control of Kaneki's instincts and turn him into the monster he tried so hard to hide.

"What do you want, Rize?" Kaneki asked her, and flinched when she ran her finger along his cheek and down his neck to his shoulder. _Oh... nothing yet…_ She purred, and Kaneki got the feeling that she was itching to drive her nails into his neck, to lick his blood. And knowing Rize, Kaneki knew she would do it.

 _Can I go now, Kaneki?_ She whined, and chains formed around her ankles, trapping her in place. _It gets quite boring without anyone to play with._

Kaneki glared at her, then said, "I'm not releasing you as my Link, Rize. Not now, not ever. I'm not a monster like you."

Rize burst out laughing, and the sound seemed to echo for miles. _Look who's talking!_ She exclaimed. _You've killed villages, wiped out Guilds, eaten families and children, and YOU say you're not a monster?!_

She leaned in and whispered into his ear. _You keep saying that you aren't, Kaneki, but we all know who you really are. A murderer._

Kaneki shook his head, and tears fell down his face. "I- I'm human…" Rize leaned back slightly, taken aback. _What?_ She asked sharply.

"I'm human..." Kaneki repeated. "I'm human!" He screamed. "HUMAN!"

Rize sighed and shook her head at him, and as the reality around Kaneki shimmered into nothingness, he could hear a whisper. _I'll be waiting... Kaneki Ghoul._

* * *

 **Lucy Heartfilia!**

 _ **You can't die yet!**_

* * *

Kaneki's eyes snapped open, and he found himself in a dank cell that reeked of Phantom Lord. Kaneki sighed and easily broke the ropes that bound his arms, then released his Kagune, ready for guards, traps and threats. Surprisingly, none came.

 _'It's like the guy wants me to escape...'_ He thought, then felt the familiar presence of Akuma wash over him and reach for the link, but hesitantly. Kaneki blinked, then remembered when Rize tried to take control, it hurt Akuma badly. Feeling horrible, he let down his barriers, and Akuma timidly attached himself to the Link, and Kaneki did the same.

 **"You okay kid?"** Was the first thing Akuma asked. Kaneki nodded and answered. _'Yeah, I'm fine. I'm sorry I lost control.'_

Akuma snickered. **"I thought you'd never say sorry to me again. Well, whaddaya know..."**

Kaneki frowned as new voices reached his ears. _'Shh!'_ He told Akuma. _'I can hear something...'_

 **"Well no dip Sherlock,"** Akuma muttered, but went silent as Kaneki tried to make out the voices.

"What do you mean by that?" A girl's voice demanded, and Kaneki grinned. It was Lucy! She was okay! His smile faded to a growl, however, when she screamed, "YUCK! THE BUG CRAWLED ON ME!"

He relaxed slightly when he realized she was fine, but still, who was in the cell with her?

"You see? You don't want to stay in here, do you?" A man's voice purred, and Kaneki got the feeling that they were both right underneath him. If he could just time it right, and aim for the right spot, he could impale the guy, grab Lucy and scram.

 **"Are you sure that's a good idea kid? We don't even know who's in there with her. He could be weak, or a formidable opponent."**

Kaneki sighed. _'I know, Akuma, but I haven't got a choice. I can't just leave her here!'_

Akuma rolled his eyes. **"Whatever you say, know-it-all."**

Kaneki blinked. _'Hey, you're the one who's always saying you're right and all that! Don't go calling me a know-it-all when the real one is in my head!'_

Akuma bristled, then retaliated with, **"Well, I'm not an octopus, so that's something!"**

Kaneki deadpanned. _'You're hopeless...'_ He froze when he realized the man was talking to Lucy again, and he had missed most of the conversation.

"...if you promise to behave," The man said, and a jolt of fear went down Kaneki's spine. That was what the Masters used to say to him when he tried to escape.

 **"Kid, relax. They're both dead now, and no one's ever going to shove you into a Lacrima again."** Akuma reminded him, and Kaneki took a deep breath, forcing himself to relax and reinforce his mental barriers to keep Rize out of his mind.

 _'Thanks,'_ He said and took in a deep breath, then embraced his Ghoul senses, letting them wash over his previous five.

The feeling was incredible- superior sense of smell, sight and he could tell exactly where Lucy was, and the dude below him. He could sense Akuma struggling against Rize, and Kaneki snapped out of his daze, then with a roar, drove his Kagune into the ground and broke through, landing on the guy, who was kneeled over, clutching his groin.

Lucy stared at Kaneki, surprised, but he wasn't phased. He grabbed her, bridal style, and with horror, realized his eyepatch was gone. He gritted his teeth, then rammed through the cell door and jumped the seven stories to the ground below.

As he fell, the man roared and sent a bolt of magical energy at Kaneki, hitting him square in the back. Kaneki cried out with pain, and Akuma lost his hold on Rize, and Kaneki thrust Lucy away from him, knowing if he didn't, he might do something he'd regret. As Akuma wrestled for control from Rize, Kaneki forced his Kagune to dissipate, and he watched in surprise as Natsu caught Lucy just in the nick of time.

"I made it just in time," Natsu said, his words muffled from Lucy's weight on top of him. As Natsu was untying Lucy's bonds, Kaneki landed on his feet gracefully, but left an inch deep crater where his feet landed. As his Ghoul attributes faded, and the urge to feed did as well, Kaneki sent deep feelings of debt and gratitude towards Akuma, who merely grunted as he said, **"She's getting stronger, kid. Be careful."**

As Akuma left, Kaneki's strength immediately disappeared, and he trembled, his eyes wide from exhaustion. Happy hovered near him. "You okay?" The cat asked, and Kaneki nodded, a fake smile on his face.

"Yeah... look, we need to head to the Guild. Something tells me Phantom Lord is going to..." He broke off when Lucy started to cry. Kaneki and Natsu stared at her, not knowing what to do.

"I'm sorry..." She whispered. "I'm so sorry..."

"All of this, everything, it's my fault. But I don't want to leave! I wanna stay with you guys... 'cause I love being in Fairy Tail!" She cried, and Kaneki was suddenly reminded of his journey with Erza, and how he wrapped her in his Kagune at night to keep her warm, and how she described it as a blanket, comforting and soft.

With a small smile, he knelt next to Lucy and wrapped his Kagune around her, self-conscious that his Ghoul eye was visible. "Hey, what's wrong?" Natsu asked her. "You're crying! Why are you upset?"

"You can tell us..." Happy said solemnly. Natsu nodded. "You're one of us! You don't have to leave," He said, trying to reassure her. "Come on, let's go back to the Guild," Happy suggested, and Natsu rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, okay... I guess we 'oughta..."

Taking this as his cue, Kaneki gently nudged Lucy and slowly withdrew his Kagune, and gently held her, positioning her piggy-back style behind him.

"Be careful with her! Remember, girls are delicate!" Happy warned, and Kaneki gave the blue cat a sharp nod as he gently stood up, and the four of them started to make their way back to Fairy Tail.

Natsu exclaimed loudly but gently, "Cheer up, Lucy. Whoever is part of Fairy Tail is friend and family! You're never leaving, and we're not gonna kick you out, either!"

"Aye, sir!" Happy agreed, and Kaneki smiled, his bangs overshadowing his eyes as a single tear ran down his face.

 _'I finally belong somewhere...'_ He thought, and with newfound strength, pushed Rize back into the depths of his consciousness, where he was sure she would wither away into nothing. 'I'm not a monster. I'm part of Fairy Tail.'

He looked at Natsu, Lucy and Happy, and the images of Erza and Gray came into mind, as well as the little girl he couldn't name. 'And I have a family...'

Meanwhile, high up above them, Jose groaned, and a dark, evil and powerful aura erupted around him, his face drawn into a sinisterly creepy grin. "She's made me angry! HER FATE IS SEALED!" He roared, and Kaneki turned to look back at the high tower.

"What's wrong, Kaneki?" Natsu asked, and Kaneki shook his head. "Nothing..." He replied, but couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to happen.

* * *

 **Lucy Heartfilia!**

 _ **Never give up on yourself...**_

* * *

 **Next time on Fairy Tail!**

* * *

Natsu, Lucy and Kaneki return to the Guild, where everyone learns that Lucy is super rich! Kaneki jumps in the way of Erza when Phantom Lord fires the Jupiter Cannon, and no one knows if he's hurt!

Meanwhile, The Master wakes up, and joins the fight against Phantom, but will Fairy Tail be able to defeat the Giant in time? Find out in our next episode- Fifteen Minutes?!


	4. Fifteen Minutes? !

**To** crazyhorse1774 **, what did you mean with your review, in the first sentence? You didn't finish your thought... And thanks for the uplifting reviews! I wright for you guys!** **And to** diliapv perez **, don't worry! There will be plenty of action in this chapter!**

 **Warning- Insanity ahead, and one thing you all should remember- NEVER try to trap Kaneki. Reason? He will kill you. Sorry Cana!**

* * *

 **I don't own this fandom. Shame, though; I sure wish I did.**

* * *

 **Last time on Fairy Tail!**

 _As he fell, the man roared and sent a bolt of magical energy at Kaneki, hitting him square in the back. Kaneki cried out with pain, and Akuma lost his hold on Rize, and Kaneki thrust Lucy away from him, knowing if he didn't, he might do something he'd regret. As Akuma wrestled for control from Rize, Kaneki forced his Kagune to dissipate, and he watched in surprise as Natsu caught Lucy just in the nick of time._

 _"I made it just in time," Natsu said, his words muffled from Lucy's weight on top of him. As Natsu was untying Lucy's bonds, Kaneki landed on his feet gracefully, but left an inch deep crater where his feet landed. As his Ghoul attributes faded, and the urge to feed did as well, Kaneki sent deep feelings of debt and gratitude towards Akuma, who merely grunted as he said,_ **"** **She's getting stronger, kid. Be careful."**

 _As Akuma left, Kaneki's strength immediately disappeared, and he trembled, his eyes wide from exhaustion. Happy hovered near him. "You okay?" The cat asked, and Kaneki nodded, a fake smile on his face. "Yeah... look, we need to head to the Guild. Something tells me Phantom Lord is going to..." He broke off when Lucy started to cry. Kaneki and Natsu stared at her, not knowing what to do._

 _"I'm sorry..." She whispered. "I'm so sorry..."_

 _"All of this, everything, it's my fault. But I don't want to leave! I wanna stay with you guys... 'cause I love being in Fairy Tail!" She cried, and Kaneki was suddenly reminded of his journey with Erza, and how he wrapped her in his Kagune at night to keep her warm, and how she described it as a blanket, comforting and soft._

 _With a small smile, he knelt next to Lucy and wrapped his Kagune around her, self-conscious that his Ghoul eye was visible. "Hey, what's wrong?" Natsu asked her. "You're crying! Why are you upset?"_

 _"You can tell us..." Happy said solemnly. Natsu nodded. "You're one of us! You don't have to leave," He said, trying to reassure her. "Come on, let's go back to the Guild," Happy suggested, and Natsu rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, okay... I guess we 'otta..."_

 _Taking this as his cue, Kaneki gently nudged Lucy and slowly withdrew his Kagune, and gently held her, positioning her piggy-back style behind him._

 _"Be careful with her! Remember, girls are delicate!" Happy warned, and Kaneki gave the blue cat a sharp nod as he gently stood up, and the four of them started to make their way back to Fairy Tail._

 _Natsu exclaimed loudly but gently, "Cheer up, Lucy. Whoever is part of Fairy Tail is friend and family! You're never leaving, and we're not gonna kick you out, either!"_

 _"Aye, sir!" Happy agreed, and Kaneki smiled, his bangs overshadowing his eyes as a single tear ran down his face._

 _'I finally belong somewhere...' He thought, and with newfound strength, pushed Rize back into the depths of his consciousness, where he was sure she would wither away into nothing. 'I'm not a monster. I'm part of Fairy Tail.'_

 _He looked at Natsu, Lucy and Happy, and the images of Erza and Gray came into mind, as well as the little girl he couldn't name. 'And I have a family...'_

 _Meanwhile, high up above them, Jose groaned, and a dark, evil and powerful aura erupted around him, his face drawn into a sinisterly creepy grin. "She's made me angry! HER FATE IS SEALED!" He roared, and Kaneki turned to look back at the high tower._

 _"What's wrong, Kaneki?" Natsu asked, and Kaneki shook his head. "Nothing..." He replied, but couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to happen._

* * *

 **Fifteen Minutes?!**

 _ **How can something-**_

* * *

"Okay, so their headquarters is here... so I think that we should hit them with some long range spells from the south east hill." Macao said, as he, Wakaba and other members hovered around a table with a map of the surrounding area.

Lucy was sitting on a barrel, her face solemn and depressed, and to her left stood Natsu, who eyed her with concern here and there. Further down, close to a wooden beam were Elfman and Gray. They too looked solemn from their previous retreat.

"I'm bringing all of my explosive Lacrima's next time!" Wakaba called to Macao, who was making an inventory of everything while Wakaba put the light blue orbs in a brown bag. No one noticed that Kaneki flinched when Wakaba said the word 'Lacrima.'

"Hey guys!" Macao called. "I'm gonna need some Spell holder books from the Archives!"

Gray turned his head, then noticed Lucy and Natsu behind him, their faces long. "Don't worry, we'll get 'em back for this." He said, more to Lucy. Lucy sunk even lower, but made no comment. Natsu turned his head to look at her. "I know," Lucy said softly. "I'm not worried about it." Her eyes shone with mixed feelings, and as Kaneki eyed her, he saw that she wasn't far from tears.

He sighed and moved from his previous position next to the bar, sipping a cup of coffee. He set his empty cup down and made his way through the crowd, inwardly cursing Gajeel and Phantom Lord as he did. _'Damn bastards, destroying our Guild,'_ He thought as he made a long detour around Wakaba.

 ** _"I know you're angry, kid, but'cha gotta stay positive,"_** Akuma reminded him. _ **"No one's seriously hurt, and besides! When Fairy Tail's all done kicking Phantom ass, you'll be able to swoop in and grab a few mouthfulls!"**_ Kaneki cringed at the idea, and then thought about it for a second. The idea of eating a Phantom Lord member... it didn't bring any remorse at all.

"It's just... all my fault..." Lucy whispered, her eyes shining. "Being targeted by dangerous is just one of the downsides of being rich," Elfman said with his arms crossed. "At least you're protected by a real MAN, like me!"

Kaneki sweatdropped, and Akuma rolled his eyes. ** _"Okay, I take it back. Can we eat the annoying shitty-man over there?"_** Kaneki snickered, then pricked his ears, listening to the intriguing conversation.

"Hey, would you give it a rest already?!" Gray hissed, and Akuma sighed. ** _"Okay... I guess I can make due with that..."_**

"I gotta say, I was shocked when I heard the news." Happy said, his usual smiling face full of confusion and sadness. "Why'd you hide the truth from us, Lucy?"

"I wasn't trying to hide anything!" Lucy explained, and Kaneki straightened up more, sending a glare at Akuma to be quiet. "I mean, there's no way to bring up the fact that I'm a runaway in casual conversation..."

Kaneki felt a pang of sympathy towards her. Their dilemma's were completely different, but they felt the same way- they had no idea how to tell the people they loved the truth- but while Lucy could live with her secret, Kaneki couldn't.

"I've been gone for a year and my father hasn't cared," Lucy continued. "Now all of a sudden he wants me to come home?! He's done all of those horrible things just to get me to go back! I HATE HIS GUTS!"

Elfman, Gray, Natsu and Kaneki looked at her, and Kaneki felt a pang of hunger gnaw at his stomach, but he ignored it. He wanted to hear all he could.

"Still... if I hadn't run away in the first place, none of this would have ever happened." Lucy added in a whisper, and Kaneki opened his mouth to reply, but Elfman beat him to it. "Come on, don't be ridiculous! You're dad's the one to blame!"

"Idiot!" Gray hissed, and Elfman, realizing his mistake, reverted from 'Macho mode' to 'Irreversible idiot' As Akuma had dubbed them. "Uh- I mean it's Phantom's fault!" He corrected, but he couldn't take it back. As Lucy looked around the room, at all of those with broken arms and new scars, wounds and crutches, her depression swelled. "No... I'm the one who brought trouble to the Guild, and it's all because of my own selfish choices. I'm so very-" Before she could finish her sentence, Kaneki's rage exploded, and he marched his way in front of her, his Ghoul eye gleaming demonically.

"So what!?" He demanded. "So what if the Guild Hall is destroyed, or members are injured? Fairy Tail is still here, and everyone is still alive and kicking! I bet the Master is getting out of bed right now, and Erza is ready to fight!" Kaneki cupped her chin, forcing her to look him in the eyes. "I know better than anyone what it's like to be at the fault of deaths- wherever I go, they follow me." He drew in a shaky breath and went on. "The thing is, Lucy, that if you don't snap out of your self pity, I'll be damned if I don't finish you myself."

Kaneki felt Natsu, Gray and Elfman grow rigid behind him, but he paid no notice. "You aren't to blame- Phantom Lord is. True, you're dad hired them, but is it really Jose's interest to hand you over to him?" Kaneki let out a laugh hauntingly similar to Rize's, holding it's familiar touch of madness. "In fact, I'll bet he's going to hold you for ransom and horde every coin your father has!" Kaneki felt his Kagune form behind him, and he held them towards her, not disguising his malice. "So, what are you going to choose?" He whispered.

A tear ran down her face, then another and another, until she gripped her skirt and cried, "FAIRY TAIL! I CHOOSE FAIRY TAIL!" With that, she broke down, sobbing in his arms. Kaneki smiled softly, then hugged her back, albiet briefly. With his hunger returning, he didn't trust himself around humans- especially the ones that smelled delicious.

"Aw, don't cry- It's just not like you," Gray said in his icy manner. "Yeah! Now please, real men are weak to womanly tears!" Elfman cried, his face of comical horror and his body quivering.

"I'm sorry!" Lucy said, trying to compose herself and failing miserably. Loke eyed her, his eyes hard and searching. When they met Kaneki's, an icy chill ran down both of their spines.

 _'What the hell is he?'_ Loke thought, fighting the impending urge to run like hell and soil his pants in the process.

 _ **"Careful of him, kid- he ain't human."** _ Akuma warned. Before Kaneki could ask, he added, **_"And he isn't like you, either."_**

Ignoring Rize's laughter at the back of his mind, Kaneki strengthened his barriers to keep her out and, not looking where he was going, ran smack dab into Cana's ale barrel, knocking it over and vaulting her a few feet behind.

"Oh man, she's gonna kill him..." Gray deadpanned, and Kaneki instantly summoned his Kagune, ignoring the surprised looks on everyone's faces.

Cana instantly snapped out of her drunken stupor and glared at Kaneki, who was full well prepared for a fight. "What da hell did'ja do dat fur?" She exclaimed, her words slurred. "I wuz havin' a fine time drink'n meh beer, but'cha had 'ta go'n roon it!" She grabbed her cards, and as she flung her magic at him, Kaneki realized too late- she was faking being drunk.

"Cards magic! Capture!" Cana roared, and everyone perked up slightly, wanting to see what Kaneki could do, but also dreading the fact that there wasn't enough room for a good duel.

As a large barricade of cards shimmered into being around Kaneki, his eyes grew wide as he realized what was happening. She was trapping him- she was going to put him back into the Lacrima for the rest of his life, never to see Erza again, never to learn what that girl's name was, and most importantly, he would go back to hear that voice again, to hear it taunting him, to feel his sanity break.

 _ **"Kid! NO! SNAP OUT OF IT!"**_ Akuma screamed, his voice growing weaker as Rize's grew stronger. _"Yessss..."_ She hissed, her voice crawling with seductive menace. _"Kill her like a good little boy, won't you? Kaneki-kun?"_

Kaneki nodded, and this time, it was Akuma he pushed into the depths of his mind. "I'm a good boy," He whispered, madness glinting in his eyes. With a blood thirsty grin, he forced his Kagune down upon his prison and launched himself at Cana, all of this taking place in the span of seconds.

Kaneki held his Kagune at Cana's throat, and no one moved, or dared to breath. Cana winced, however, when a bead of blood appeared on her throat due to the sharpness of Kaneki's Kagune.

As he leaned in, Rize screaming for the kill, Akuma wrenched control back from her, and Kaneki's sanity returned. He withdrew his Kagune, albiet slowly. Deciding to scare her, and wanting to create an exit, Kaneki hissed, "I don't take kindly to being trapped." As he glanced around the room, he added, "You're lucky I made a promise a long time ago, or you'd be dead at my feet."

With that lovley note, Kaneki fully withdrew his Kagune, and everyone watched it dissipate as he walked up the stairs and out of the Guild Hall.

* * *

 **Fifteen Minutes?!**

 _ **So enticing-**_

* * *

As Kaneki stared out at the ocean from his rooftop vantage point, he let out a heavy sigh. Rize was getting stronger, and Kaneki was losing his grip on his humanity, even though he held onto Akuma as hard as he could.

As Kaneki stared out at the ocean from his rooftop vantage point, he let out a heavy sigh. Rize was getting stronger, and Kaneki was losing his grip on his humanity, even though he held onto Akuma as hard as he could. As he swung his legs like a child, Kaneki couldn't help but realize that his childhood had been completley stolen from him. Akuma had said he was nine at the time, but whenever Kaneki tried to ask his Link about his past life, Akuma clammed up, changed the subject, or if he was in a foul mood, left altogether.

Now that he thought about it, Kaneki also realized that his communication with Akuma was not telepathic- it reached everywhere. Kaneki had long suspected that Akuma was just his wild imagination, but after the Demon saved his life, Kaneki decided to give his Link the benefit of the doubt, and stopped asking questions about his past as well as Akuma's. Nevertheless, the Half-Human was still persistently curious.

Kaneki deadpanned when he heard Natsu shout, "WHO ARE YOU CALLING A PYRO, STRIPPER?!" "YOU HEARD ME, FLAMES FOR BRAINS!" Gray retorted, and then they were at it again, their scuffle heard even up on the Guild Hall roof. Kaneki shook his head, muttering, "Idiots," And then leaned against a metal column that had been driven through the roof. Kaneki wrinkled his nose- It still reeked of Gajeel.

Kaneki hated the Iron Dragon Slayer. He had encountered the bastard when he was trying to find a member that had stolen some of his things. Kaneki won the brawl, but didn't escape unscathed. He was only thirteen at the time, leading most people to understimate him, which led to their downfall and eventual deaths, depending if he was hugry or not.

Kaneki was secretly happy he didn't need to eat as frequently as humans. Ten years ago, he would have to eat once a month, but now he had perfected his hunger and only needed to eat once every three months, which lead to less deaths, but deaths nothingless. Kaneki was secretly eager to explore the hospital in Mongolia and learn their patterns and escape routes to the Mourge. Kaneki had decided a long time ago to eat only those who had killed another.

Kaneki clenched his fists in anger. Why would humans resort to murder, to suicide, when life was so precious, so valuable? Why would they kill one another, when they could be trying to-

Kaneki stopped as he realized where his thoughts were going. Him. Why would they kill one another when they should be trying to kill him, the threat to their very lives, their existence?

Why should he exist at all?

Kaneki was pulled out of his thoughts when a powerful magic aura enveloped him, crushing him and making it hard to breathe. But as soon as the feeling came, it disappeared, and he sat up and his eyes widened as he got a good look at what was in the ocean. A gigantic... robot was slowly making its way towards the Guild hall, it's four legs moving slowly, bearing it's mass with creaks and groans. It didn't take Kaneki more than a second to realize where it had come from- the wind was all it took.

"Phantom Lord." He spat, and jumped down from the roof and into the Guild Hall, landing with a grunt. Kaneki then scrambled to the secret stash he hid in his cloak, and popped the bite-sized piece of meat into his mouth, grimacing at the skin like texture. Almost instantly, Kaneki felt his Ghoul eye form, but he forced himself to chew and swallow. The instant he did, strength poured into him, rejuvenating his limbs and magical energy, but not to the point where he was fine- far from it.

Kaneki exhaled as he calmed his raging instincts, then took a deep breath as he charged down and into the basement, his Kagune shimmering behind him as he yelled, "WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!"

Instantly, everyone stopped what they were doing, all knowing who it was- Phantom Lord.

"Oh yeah! I'm all fired up!" Natsu snarled as he ran for the stairs, Gray, Elfman, Erza and Lucy trailing close behind, the rest of the Guild not too far behind.

Kaneki leapt out of the way, taking the stairs four at a time- courtesy of his Kagune- and raced towards the back door, the rest of the Guild following.

They all stopped and stared at the looming death weapon before them. "I wish the master were here..." Kaneki heard a girl that used Wood-make magic whisper to Bisca, who nodded grimly, hands on her rifle. "Don't we all..." Azleck agreed.

All of Fairy Tail stared in horror at the huge, looming death weapon in front of them. "What is that thing?!" Natsu cried as he stared at it.

It was the Phantom Lord headquarters, but it had somehow become uprooted, and was making it's way towards Fairy Tail on six crab like legs that made a huge 'BOOM' as it stuck the ground, like small after shocks of an earthquake.

"It's a Guild Hall with GINORMOUS legs!" Happy cried, answering Katsu's question and stating the ever-loving obvious, much to Akuma's annoyance.

"Is it Phantom...?" Loke breathed as he, too, stared at the monstrosity. ** _"OF COURSE IT IS, IDIOT!"_ ** Akuma roared, but only Kaneki suffered his wrath. **_"WHAT OTHER GUILDS HAVE YOU WAGED WAR WITH?!"_**

Suddenly, it stopped moving, facing the Guild Hall and causing Natsu and Gray's mouth's to drop, and Elfman's to pull in a half scowl, half growl. "How do we fight that thing!?" Wakaba exclaimed, but no one seemed to have the courage to answer.

Erza stared at it, her form still covered by a pink bath towel, but none of the perverts seemed to notice. Everyone was too wrapped up in their shock and utter horror about how far Jose was taking this.

"I never anticipated this!" Erza said, more to herself than to anyone. "I can't believe they'd go to such extremes to attack us!"

Everyone stared as a wall to what appeared to be a tower sunk into the mechanism, and a large, bronze colored tube extended from the hole like a telescope, aimed directly at the Guild Hall.

Dark magic filled the air around it's chute, it's foul stench causing Kaneki to want to puke, but he had no time. This- this THING was going to fire on Fairy Tail- his family- and Kaneki wasn't about to watch anyone die. Not now, or ever.

"RUN!" Erza screamed, turning around to face her Guild mates, her eyes wide and her expression mixed with determination and fear. "GET OUT OF HERE NOW!"

* * *

 **Fifteen Minutes?!**

 _ **Have such awful side effects?**_

* * *

"Erza!" Mirajane cried as the S-class wizard charged towards the cannon, her towel discarded, but long red hair hiding most of her extremities. "Don't be stupid!" Macao yelled after her. Golden light shimmered around Erza as her Re-Quip magic took hold.

"She Re-Quipped!" Cana exclaimed. "What are you doing?!" Loke cried. Kaneki stared at her armor and marveled at how strong she had become. "Protecting the Guild Hall!" Erza answered, and Kaneki heard Happy exclaim, "That's her animantium armor!"

"Is she gonna try to block the canon's shot?" Bisca marveled. "But there's no way her armor can hold up against something that strong!" Azlack cut in. "You're jut risking you're life! This is ridiculous!" Wakaba cried, but there was no going back for the stubborn-ass red head. Her mind was made up, and she was determined to protect her Guild- her family.

But so was Kaneki. "Stay back!" She ordered, and as Kaneki prepared himself, he saw Natsu being held back by Gray. "ERZAAAA!" The Dragon Slayer cried, and Gray said, "We won't be able to stop her! Just have faith in her!"

Lucy stared, wide eyed with horror, as she realized death was upon Fairy Tail, and Erza if she was able to deflect the blast. Just then, the agonizing wait was over, and as the cannon fired a beam of dark magic towards the Guild Hall, the world seemed to go in slow motion for Kaneki.

As the blast neared the Guild Hall, Erza threw up her armored plates, and a shimmering wall of magic formed, enlarging and growing stronger- but Kaneki didn't care. If Erza went through with this, he could lose her... and he didn't know what would happen if he did. Taking a deep breath, the Half-Human forced his Kagune into it's strongest form yet, and he raced over to Erza's side, pushing her out of the blast range.

As she fell away, her eyes went wide with horror, as did everyone else's. They knew Erza had a chance, but Kaneki? The newbie they knew nothing about, the wizard they didn't know which magic he wielded? In a manner of seconds, the jury was decided- he would die.

If he were human, that is. As the blast hit him, Kaneki let out an animalistic roar, and the blast went no farther. He was absorbing it. After a few agonizing moments that felt like an eternity, Kaneki's Kagune started to shimmer, then crack. As the blast neared it's end, Kaneki let out another roar that seemed to reach the heavens itself, and he collapsed, his pale skin shimmering a violent purple.

As the dust cleared, everyone stared at the giant push-back crater that was created from the force of Kaneki's feet into the ground. "I don't believe this..." Macao whispered. "Kaneki did it!"

"I didn't know he was so much of a man..." Elfman muttered. "Yeah... but look." Cana pointed out, and they all turned to see his appearance. Kaneki's clothes were torn and ragged, and his skin was back to normal, but he was shaking violently. His Kagune were nothing more then stumps on his back, and his eyes had lost their previous determination and fire. He was completely drained, and they all knew it.

"Kaneki!" Erza cried, and ran to him, as did Natsu. "You okay? Say something!" The Dragon Slayer yelled, his face urgent, eyes begging for signs of life in his friend.

"Makarov has fallen." Everyone's heads turned towards the Giant, which had somehow projected Jose's voice. "And now you're greatest asset is immobile."

Natsu glared at the Giant, and Erza Re-Quipped into her normal armor, her brown eyes full of hatred. "All chance of victory has slipped through you're fingers," He continued. "Surrender Lucy Heartfilia immediately. You have no choice."

"That's not gonna happen!" Azlack roared. "Like any Guild would hand over one of their own to a monster like you!" Bisca hissed. "You hear that? LUCY'S STAY'IN PUT!" Macao yelled, and the rest of the Guild erupted into cheers, delivering their defiance to Phantom Lord first hand.

"I won't ask again!" Jose warned, his tone dripping with sinister intent mixed with rage. Lucy looked torn between screaming and crying. 'Maybe I should just go with them...' She thought. 'Give myself up...'

"WE WOULD NEVER BETRAY HER LIKE THAT!" Erza roared. "YOU'D HAVE TO KILL US FIRST!"

"YEAH!" Fairy Tail seconded. "You can stop askin, 'cause we're not gonna give you any other answer!" Natsu screamed, his face contorted with rage. "WE'RE TAKING EVERY ONE OF YOU JERKS DOWN!"

"Go... to hell..." Kaneki hissed, but it was somehow heard amongst the onslaught of cheering.

Lucy's mouth was covered, and tears rained down her cheeks, emotion filling every corner of her soul. _'This... is a family... My family...'_ She thought, overcome but the undenied loyalty shown in everyone.

"THEN IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT, I'LL GIVE YOU A SECOND HELPING OF JUPITER!" Jose roared. "YOU HAVE FIFTEEN MINUTES TO PONDER THE FOLLY OF YOU'RE ACTIONS!"

The cheering halted as the full gravity of their situation resonated in them. "No way..." Elfman muttered. "What'll we do..." Cana said, more to herself than anyone."They're gonna fire at us again?" Loke asked.

Gray glared at the now named Jupiter Canon while Mirajane tended to Kaneki behind him, Erza standing over her adopted older brother, her face impossible to read.

 _'I-I have t-to get u-up...'_ Kaneki thought, but the pain was so unbearable it clouded his thoughts, blocking off his connection to Akuma and his source of rational thought. Rize was also incapacitated, and her sobbing wails could be heard throughout his mind, adding to his pain with each sharp cry.

"Kaneki!" Erza cried, and kneeled next to him, her fear for him evident on her face as his breathing grew ragged, and he slipped into unconsciousness. "Damn, he's out!" Gray hissed. "And he's the only reason the rest of us are still breathing!"

Suddenly, shadowy forms poured out of the Canon in hordes, heading towards Fairy Tail.

"Oh no, is he really going to fire the Jupiter Canon again!?"

"He's kicking us while we're down!"

"To hell with Phantom Lord!"

"Lucy stay's with us!"

"I don't wanna die!"

"You're in quite a corner, aren't you Fairy Tail?" Jose sneered. "There are only two ways this situation can play out- Other my troops will tear you apart, or you'll be blown away by Jupiter!"

"Are you kiddin' me?!" Macao exclaimed. "If he fires at us he'll kill his own men!"

"Surely he's bluffin'- who would do something like that?" Wakaba said.

"Oh no, he's gonna do it."

Both men turned to stare at Cana, their faces pulled into comical ones of shock that would have made Akuma cry tears. "Those Phantom soldiers are created by Jose's shade magic. They're not human, so it doesn't matter if they're destroyed."

"What the heck are Phantom soldiers?!" Bisca cried. "You're saying they're ghosts?!" Azlack exclaimed.

"We've got to do something to take out that Jupiter canon!" Cana said, and Natsu nodded and turned to face her. "I'm gonna smash that thing to pieces!" He growled, mashing his fists together as he said do. "I only got fifteen minutes to wreck it, right?"

With Cana's sharp nod, Natsu ran towards the Giant, yelling, "Come on, Happy!" "Aye, sir!" The blue cat cried, and he unfurled his wings and gripped Natsu firmly between his paws, Natsu in a superman pose and Happy flying at break-neck speed towards the Canon opening.

"'Kay Elfman, we're gonna storm the place too!" Gray yelled as he and the burly beast ran after the Dragon Slayer. "Oh yeah!" Elfman cried. Cana held a shot of three cards in each hand and said to the others behind her, "And we're gonna stay here and protect the Guild Hall. You with me?"

"YEAH!" Macao, Bisca, Azlack and Wakaba said unanimously. "Lucy, come with me!" Mirajane ordered, and Loke turned his head to eye the 'She-demon' as she led the Celestial Mage away from the to-be battle field, a uneasy feeling forming deep in his gut.

"Reedus, take her to the shelter," Mirajane ordered the Picto-Magic Wizard, who responded with a curt nod and a "Wi!"

"No way!" Lucy exclaimed, and ripped her hand away from Mirajane's grasp. "I'm not leaving- I'm staying here with everyone!"

Mirajane shook her head. "I understand how you feel, Lucy, but we can't let Phantom Lord take you!" After seeing Lucy wasn't swayed, she added, "They're doing this for you. This fight has been coming for a long time, and you gave everyone a purpose to fight."

She raised her hand above Lucy, who eyed her curiously as light shimmered around her hand. "So please... listen to me."

Lucy fell back, out cold, and Reedus caught her. "Make sure she's safe!" Mirajane called after him as Reedus summoned a wagon and a purple boar to carry him and his cargo towards the desired safe haven.

 _'I may not be of much use to my Guild when it comes to combat...'_ Mirajane thought, and her form shimmered to replicate Lucy's appearance in everyway. _'But I can still help!_ '

 _'The Jupiter Canon is going to fire again in fifteen minutes... don't let us down, Natsu!'_

* * *

 **Fifteen Minutes?!**

 _ **But those are fragments that are better off LOST FOREVER!**_

* * *

 **Next time on Fairy Tail!**

Kaneki is fine, but unable to fight! Meanwhile, Erza, Gray, Natsu and Elfman rage the fight inside the Giant while the rest of the Guild holds off Jose's Shade magic! Will Fairy Tail prevail? And will Kaneki be okay? Find out next time in To Keep From Seeing Those Tears!

* * *

 **[EDIT - Cut stuff off the AN and added a disclaimer. Didn't see any typos; are there any?]**


	5. To Keep From Seeing Those Tears!

**AN UPDATE HAS ARRIVED! YEEEEEES!**

 **And to** crazyhorse1774 **, LOL! And thanks for loving my story- I work REEEEEALY hard on it!**

 ***Claps hands* So! *Rubs them together eagerly* Who's ready for some 'Kaneki kicks Jose's ass' action?**

 **Readers: MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! *Jumps up and down frantically***

* * *

 **I don't own this fandom. Shame, though; I sure wish I did.**

* * *

 **Last Time on Fairy Tail!**

* * *

 _"Is she gonna try to block the canon's shot?" Bisca marveled. "But there's no way her armor can hold up against something that strong!" Azlack cut in. "You're jut risking you're life! This is ridiculous!" Wakaba cried, but there was no going back for the stubborn-ass red head. Her mind was made up, and she was determined to protect her Guild- her family._

 _But so was Kaneki. "Stay back!" She ordered, and as Kaneki prepared himself, he saw Natsu being held back by Gray. "ERZAAAA!" The Dragon Slayer cried, and Gray said, "We won't be able to stop her! Just have faith in her!"_

 _Lucy stared, wide eyed with horror, as she realized death was upon Fairy Tail, and Erza if she was able to deflect the blast. Just then, the agonizing wait was over, and as the cannon fired a beam of dark magic towards the Guild Hall, the world seemed to go in slow motion for Kaneki._

 _As the blast neared the Guild Hall, Erza threw up her armored plates, and a shimmering wall of magic formed, enlarging and growing stronger- but Kaneki didn't care. If Erza went through with this, he could lose her... and he didn't know what would happen if he did. Taking a deep breath, the Half-Human forced his Kagune into it's strongest form yet, and he raced over to Erza's side, pushing her out of the blast range._

 _As she fell away, her eyes went wide with horror, as did everyone else's. They knew Erza had a chance, but Kaneki? The newbie they knew nothing about, the wizard they didn't know which magic he wielded? In a manner of seconds, the jury was decided- he would die._

 _If he were human, that is. As the blast hit him, Kaneki let out an animalistic roar, and the blast went no farther. He was absorbing it. After a few agonizing moments that felt like an eternity, Kaneki's Kagune started to shimmer, then crack. As the blast neared it's end, Kaneki let out another roar that seemed to reach the heavens itself, and he collapsed, his pale skin shimmering a violent purple._

 _As the dust cleared, everyone stared at the giant push-back crater that was created from the force of Kaneki's feet into the ground. "I don't believe this..." Macao whispered. "Kaneki did it!"_

 _"I didn't know he was so much of a man..." Elfman muttered. "Yeah... but look." Cana pointed out, and they all turned to see his appearance. Kaneki's clothes were torn and ragged, and his skin was back to normal, but he was shaking violently. His Kagune were nothing more then stumps on his back, and his eyes had lost their previous determination and fire. He was completely drained, and they all knew it._

'I-I have t-to get u-up...' _Kaneki thought, but the pain was so unbearable it clouded his thoughts, blocking off his connection to Akuma and his source of rational thought. Rize was also incapacitated, and her sobbing wails could be heard throughout his mind, adding to his pain with each sharp cry._

 _"Kaneki!" Erza cried, and kneeled next to him, her fear for him evident on her face as his breathing grew ragged, and he slipped into unconsciousness. "Damn, he's out!" Gray hissed. "And he's the only reason the rest of us are still breathing!"_

* * *

 **To Keep From Seeing Those Tears!**

 ** _Pain is your friend, Pain is your ally_**

* * *

Darkness. It surrounded him, crushing him, destroying him. He didn't turn his head or open his eyes. He just knew he was all alone.

Suddenly, voices formed, but it felt muddled, hazy. Soon, though, they grew into focus, but were still... foggy.

 _"Ha ha ha! Tou-chan, look at me!"_ The boy was... what, seven? Six? Kaneki didn't know, but he kept watching. A figure came into view, dressed in dark blue and black dragon skin that reached his feet, just barely scraping the ground. His hair was long, reaching his shins, but pulled into a low ponytail, though it still stuck out in a spiky fashion, and it was a bright, blinding white color. His eyes were a flaming red, and his pupils thin, reptilian slits. His fingers looked like claws, and bright blue tattoos adorned his arms, and after closer inspection, Kaneki realized the man had dragon wings on his back that were neatly disguised by his attire.

 **"What is it, Ko?"** The man asked, his voice surprisingly warm towards the boy, who was in far contrast to the man, with almond brown hair and a darker shade of eyes. He was dressed in dragon skin as well, but they were a bright red that danced like flames in the sunlight. Simple leather sandles adorned his feet, and as he reached the man, Kaneki could see that the boy was around the age of seven or eight.

 _"I found something!"_ Ko said, and proudly held up what looked to be a worn map of Fiore. _"So what is it, Tou-chan?"_ He asked eagerly to the man, who had taken the map and looked at it's worn appearance with an unreadable expression. Finally, his internal conflict seemed to be over as he answered Ko.

 **"It is called a map,"** The man said, and Kaneki noticed how his voice seemed to be a cross of a human's and a reptiles, though he didn't drag out his S's, as most people believed. **"They are used to tell a human where they are, and how to get somewhere."**

Ko's eyes went wide as he stared at the paper. _"Really?"_ He asked eagerly. _"Then where are we?"_

The man seemed to be taken aback by the question, but quickly composed himself and laid the map down on a flat slab of rock. **"Our cave is here-"** He said, pointing to said spot on the map. **"And this is how far the ocean is."**

Ko frowned. _"So far away..."_ The man nodded and started to roll the map up in a scroll-like fashion. **"Exactly. Now do you see why I don't want to fly you there?"** Ko sighed and nodded his head. _"I guess..."_

The man chuckled. **"Don't worry, I'll take you there one day, but for now, you're going straight to bed!"** Ko's protests could be heard, echoing throughout the cave, but then the memory- if it was a memory- faded and was replaced by another one.

This time, Ko looked older, and a small scar lined his cheek, exactly where Kaneki had his. His red dragon skin was gone, replaced by a long, black overcoat that Kaneki recognized from the cave- it was the man's. But the most starling change about him was that his hair was no longer brown- it was a bright shade of white.

 _"Tou-chan!"_ He cried, looking around the outside of the mountain. _"Tou-chan! Where are you?!"_ Tears ran down his face, and Ko briskly wiped them away. Kaneki was startled to realize he could hear his thoughts. _'Tou-chan wouldn't leave me like this... he must be gone hunting, that's it!'_ Relief seeped into the boy with this small theory, but something in Kaneki told him that Ko's father would never return to their cave.

Again, the memory changed, and Ko looked to be about eleven years old now, his once short hair long and shaggy. He looked depressed and hollow, like he'd lost something he couldn't live without. He was huddled close to a fire, and Kaneki realized he had left the cave. Upon closer inspection, Kaneki saw the map in a knapsack, along with some other things. Probably food.

Ko sighed sadly and looked up at the stars. A small smile graced his lips as he whispered their names. _"Gemeni... Aries... Taurus... Cancer and Virgo... Leo... Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Pisces and Aquarius..."_ After a moment, Kaneki realized that Ko was saying them all by memory. A single tear ran down Ko's face, and he made no attempt to wipe it away.

 _"Tou-chan..."_ He whispered. _"Where are you?"_

Suddenly the world was a blurr, going faster and faster as Ko ran, panting but not giving up. His brown eyes were wide with fear, and blood ran down a gash in his shoulder. He tripped, and fell with a grunt, quickly looking away as he got a quick glimpse of his ankle- it was bent awkwardly, a sure sign that it was broken. He let out a cry of pain as he tried to stand, but bit his lip and grunted, pulling himself up, using an unknown object as leverage.

 _"Can't... let them... catch me..."_ He breathed, his voice hoarse and ragged. _"Don't wanna... be a prisoner... gotta keep looking... for Dad..."_ And then as the pain became too unbearable, Ko's eyes rolled back into his head and he passed out onto the forest floor.

Suddenly, he was in that cursed room, and Ko was trapped halfway inside a Lacrima, his arms, legs and lower body utterly absorbed into it. _"Don't you want to destroy humanity?"_ A voice purred, and Kaneki froze as he recognized it. Zeref. _"After all, they locked you inside this cage..."_

Ko shook his head, refusing to listen to it. _"No! I won't harm any human life, even if they are to blame."_ Zeref's anger seeped into Kaneki, who wanted to wake up, who didn't want to see this happen to Ko, who didn't want to see this at all. _"Then let us see how well you fare if you must kill to survive!"_ Zeref roared, and Ko let out an agonizing scream as dark red fog seeped into his left eye.

With horror, Kaneki realized what he was seeing too late. As the fog dissipated, drool started to leak out of Ko's mouth, and his head slowly rose, and his left eye was completely black with a red pupil. This was how he became what he was. He was Ko, and Ko was Kaneki. They were the same person.

This was how he became a Ghoul.

* * *

 **To Keep From Seeing Those Tears!**

 ** _Pain tells you when you have been wounded badly_**

* * *

Kaneki slowly opened his eyes, and he groaned. He felt horrible- his body ached from even opening his eyes, it seemed. Breathing was a battle as well. He closed his eyes, trying to settle back into unconsciousness once more when the full shock of what he had seen hit him full force.

Ko.

Tou-chan.

Running.

Zeref.

Captured.

 _Zeref_.

Kaneki's eyes shot open as panic seized him, and his breathing became ragged, the force of it on his chest causing him to cry out in pain.

"Well, you're in a pretty big mess." Kaneki blinked and felt his pain subside and become dull as he felt himself immersed in a Link- but it wasn't Akuma or Rize, or that strange female from earlier. This was an entirely different persona, and Kaneki wasn't sure if it was another Rize or Akuma.

 _'Wha- who are you?'_ Kaneki asked, slightly surprised when the new Link indulged its basic information to him. The Link was Male, and it was only there to observe, not protect like Akuma or destroy like Rize.

"I don't have a name. I'm not sure what I am, either. All I know is that I'm supposed to watch you." He answered, and Kaneki felt the slightest of smiles grace his lips. Something told him he was going to get along great with his new Link... _'Well, can you do me a favor?'_ Kaneki asked him. The Link seemed to raise an eyebrow, slightly curious. " Like what?" He asked. _'Do you think you can help heal me?'_ Kaneki asked, not disguising the begging tone. He was desperate to stand up, to find out where the hell he was and see if Erza was okay.

The Link nodded. "Sure, if you name me first." He said, and Kaneki ran ideas through his mind. _'Do you like... Kanatsu?'_ The Link shook his head. " No way. It's too long." He replied. _Can it be a bit shorter?_ He asked, not disguising the eagerness in his voice. Kaneki started to nod when a jolt of pain raced through his pain, and he settled with saying, _'Yeah,'_ Before thinking up a different name. _'Do you like Tokei?'_

The link nodded. "Yeah! I like it! Tokei it is!" He said, and then as his presence started to fade, said, "Don't worry about me though. I won't be around often, but I will be watching. I don't know why, but I will..." And with that, the Link faded into nothingness, and Kaneki let out a startled gasp as a surge of strength flooded into his body, all traces of pain completely gone.

The Half-Human slowly sat up, testing his limbs to find that he was in perfect condition. He grinned and stood to his feet and stretched. Yes! Now he could go out and join the fight against Phantom!

He frowned when he realized he should be doing something else, but for the life of him, he couldn't remember what. He just wanted to get out there, to fight and see them bleed, to tear at their flesh and devour them whole.

Kaneki licked his lips in eager anticipation. Yes- Phantom Lord would fall, and Jose would be the first to be swallowed, and without mercy. His right eye flashed purple for an instant, then it was gone. Oh yes... he would have a feast tonight...

* * *

 **To KeeP from Seeing Those Tears!**

 _ **But you wanna know what the best thing about pain is?**_

* * *

Kaneki turned and froze when an intense wave of magical energy appeared. At first, he believed he was being attacked, then realized no human could hold that much raw power and survive, so he went with option two- Someone, probably Natsu- destroyed the canon and Lacrima inside, resulting in an explosion that made him want to puke.

"Hey, check it out, they blew it up!" Bisca said. "Yeah they did!" Azleck agreed, and Fairy Tail cheered at the downfall of the Canon.

"Atta boy Natsu, yeah!" Macao grinned. "Watch out, we're coming for ya Phantom!" The Wood-make mage exclaimed. "Yeah, we got this!" Cana yelled as he held up a deck of cards at a horde of Shade soldiers. "Wipe out the enemy!"

Kaneki shook his head and smiled to himself. Humans were such interesting creatures... Turning his attention back to the task at hand, he cautiously unfurled his Kagune and stared at them. They now had an aura of purple around them, almost like a glow. Kaneki whipped them around, and they hummed with power, causing him to grin. Oh yeah, this was definitely worth getting his insides blown to bits.

He jumped onto the top of the building he had once laid in and surveyed the battle. Most of Fairy Tail were battling Shade Soldiers, and after searching for a moment, realized Erza, Gray, Elfman, Natsu and Happy were gone, same with Lucy.

Kaneki froze. Was Erza okay? Did he save her in time? Was she... dead? He shook his head. _'No,'_ He told himself firmly. _'I saved her, I kept my promise.'_ Slightly relieved at the prospect, he jumped onto another building, this one with a higher roof.

Kaneki scaled it with no trouble at all and crouched down low, eyeing the battle field warily. He had the power to destroy them, but if he used it, they would hate him... **_"Well, so what then. You're gonna save their lives, and God help them if they're gonna be ungrateful."_** Kaneki's eyes widened. _'Akuma!'_ He cried. _'Where the hell have you been?!'_

 ** _"Same as you, kid. So, please, NEVER absorb that much magic without my help again. I have an awful headache."_ ** Kaneki shook his head, a smile on his lips. _'Not my problem. Man, how do you live fighting against Rize all the time?'_ He asked, then waited for Akuma to answer. _**"I don't. I usually amuse myself by imagining her brains splattered on a ceiling."**_ Kaneki snickered. _'Don't I wish that could happen...'_

 ** _"Don't we all?"_** Akuma asked, and they both laughed together. _'Okay... so, what do you think I should do? Tokei healed me-'_

 _ **"Wait, who?"**_ Akuma asked, and Kaneki let out an exasperated sigh. _'A new Link I discovered. He's around here somewhere, said he was just gonna watch and intervene if you're not there or I'm gonna die.'_

Akuma raised an eyebrow. **_"Well, I can't wait to find this guy... but first, I think you should help Fairy Tail fight the Soldiers- they have no idea how to disperse the bastards."_**

Kaneki nodded, then let out a deep breath, and after summoning his magic circles, jumped into the fray, punching Shade soldiers wherever he went. **_"I'll just be over here then..."_** Akuma said, and he felt his Link's presence fade, but not completely, ready to thrust his power into Kaneki's in case of an emergency.

Kaneki sensed Bisca in trouble, and he whirled around and sent a ray of dark purple magic at the soldiers, going right through her and destroying the enemy.

"T-thanks!" She called out to him, but Kaneki could only nod as he dashed past Cana and Wakaba, a sick grin on his face as he ripped the Shade creatures in half, without mercy. Magic poured out of them and went into Kaneki like a magnet. He held up a fist and allowed his body to absorb the energy- he was going to need it.

With a roar, he sent out a wave of magic at the soldiers, tearing into them like paper and ripping them in half. He smirked in satisfaction when he saw there wasn't hardly any left, and that Jose seemed to be preoccupied.

"Oi!" Kaneki turned to see Wakaba with a slightly sheepish look on his face. "Thanks for the help!"

"Wait, aren't you supposed to be in bed?" Macao asked him, and Kaneki replied with a gruff voice, "Yeah, but I have insane healing abilities..." Cana's eyes went wide as she said, "How the hell are you even alive? That much magic would've killed you!"

Kaneki rolled his eyes at her. "I absorbed it, ale-face. There's a difference." Ignoring her sputters of indignation at the new nickname and Akuma's roaring laughter in the back of his mind, he turned to face the Giant. Kaneki sighed and shook his head at the large magic circle it was drawing. _'Honestly, what have I gotten myself into?'_

 _ **"A deep bucket of shit, kid,"** _ Akuma replied, then faded again, snickering as he went. Kaneki rolled his eyes at his Link and turned back to the humans congregated around him. "I can help you with the soldiers, but after I do, Jose is mine. Hear me?" Kaneki said, a low growl in his voice.

Azleck nodded, his face twisted into slight curiosity. "Uh, sure, but why do you want Jose?"

Kaneki gave him a sinister grin, releasing a speck of his killing intent and making some nearby mages tremble at the terrifying power. "To make him pay for every scar that damn blast put on me."

* * *

 **To Keep From Seeing Those Tears!**

 _ **It tells you when you're NOT DEAD YET!**_

* * *

Kaneki made a mad dash towards the reinforcement soldiers, and his blood lust was so strong he would jump in front of other mage's opponents and defeat them for him. He felt as light as air, and felt no remorse. He heard and felt nothing except the huge adrenaline rush at killing something. For too long he had hid his other nature, and this was one of the times he let it go free.

But even now, he was holding it back, knowing that with his unsatisfiable lust for death and hunger pains, if he let go of himself now, he wouldn't be able to tell friend from foe, and would probably try to eat Lucy or Bisca- both had a beautiful aura of power around them, and they smelled delicious.

 _"What's the matter, Kaneki-kun? Just a taste wouldn't hurt..."_ Rize whispered, and as Kaneki finished off three soldiers, shook his head. _'Hell no, and get out of my head, bitch. I don't need you or you're endless flirting, so get... out... of... mY... HEAD!'_ He roared, and Rize flew backwards from the waves of power he threw at her, pushing her back into the depths of his mind once more.

 ** _"Damn, she never quits, does she?"_ ** Akuma muttered. Kaneki nodded, then ducked as a soldier sped above him, it's claws trimming his shaggy hair only slightly.

 _'Oh-kay, that's it! You're gonna die!'_ Kaneki sneered, and chased after the soldier, ruthlessly cutting it in half, then sprinted after the other soldiers clustered around Bisca and Azleck, intent on beating his previous high score of a defeated enemy count of 67. Currently he was on 54.

With a savage grin, he spun in mid air, his Kagune stretching and making contact with the soldiers, viciously cutting them in half. As they faded into darkness, Kaneki made a tally. _'Hm... was that seven, or nine?'_ He wondered, and Akuma helpfully said, _**"I think it was eight."**_ If he were alone, Kaneki would have made a mock bow, but he had to settle with a sarcastic eye roll.

 _'Thank you so much, dusty eyes,'_ Kaneki muttered, and felt Akuma playfully bristle at the pet name. **_"No- just no, kid."_ ** He hissed, but there wasn't any malice.

Kaneki snickered, then heard Macao cry out, "Look out, Kid!" And Kaneki looked up to see a whole line of solders being sent at him- at least 15, maybe 20.

A smirk formed on his face, and it grew to the point where his teeth were barely unnoticeable. Jose had obviously realized he was dangerous, and was trying to end him with these pitiful creatures? The Half-Human lat out a laugh that echoed throughout the battle field, dripping with strength and madness.

"YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO TRY BETTER THAN THAT, BASTARD!" Kaneki roared, and leapt into the air at an astonishing 13 feet, and as he surpassed the diving shade soldiers, started to spin in a circle, going faster and faster as gravity took over and pulled him down, shredding the soldiers as he fell.

"WHEN I'M DONE WITH YOU, PAIN WILL BE THE LEAST OF YOU'RE WORRIES!" Jose screamed, fury radiating off him in waves.

As Kaneki's feet landed on the ground, he left impressive craters, and with a roar, he pulled his arms into his chest, and his Kagune glowed a sinister purple. When he looked up, he was looking directly at the Giant, but more importantly, at Jose himself, and as he slowly extended his arms, Kaneki said, "Pain is my ally, my friend. It tells me when I've been wounded badly. But you want to know what the best thing about pain is?"

He brought his hands together in a sickening clap, and he roared, "It tells you when you're NOT DEAD YET!" And with that, a sizable blast that could rival Etherion was sent straight at the Jupiter canon, destroying it's telescope-like interior instantly. Not even shrapnel was left.

With his magical energy utterly spent- yet again- Kaneki fell backwards, and as his eyes closed and his mind fell into unconsciousness, he heard a soft yet unmistakable voice in the back of his mind.

 _"I love you, Ani-chan!"_

* * *

 **To Keep From Seeing Those Tears!**

 _ **I'm not gonna die today...**_

* * *

 **Next Time on Fairy Tail!**

The battle against Phantom is over, but Kaneki is in a coma! Erza refuses to leave his side, and the Guild is solemn, even though the Guild Hall is destroyed! And why is Loke so against helping him? Find out next time in: Next Generation!

* * *

 **[EDIT - Cut stuff out from the AN's. Added a disclaimer, fixed the set up. See any typos?]**

 **GODS THAT TOOK FOREVER! And I added a new [yet crucial] character! Happy now? Oh yeah, and an ACTUAL. FIGHT. SCENE. I am soooo happy with my accomplishment!**

 **So, to explain what a Link is: Basically, Akuma is kind of like an alter-ego personality to Kaneki, like Rize in the anime Tokyo Ghoul, except Kaneki has no idea what Akuma looks like.**

 **Oh, and Im gonna reccomend a story to you guys. For you AOT fns, this is EPIC! I'm not a big fan of it yself, but TRUST ME. THIS IS ONE FIC YOU WILL _NOT_ WANT TO MISS OUT ON!**

 **So, the story is called** Rogue **, [or** Rouge **\- Gaaah! I can't spell!] By the author** Red Coaster.

 **ABOUT: Eren Jeager, the HUMAN, never existed. Rather, his Titan form did. First chapter is epic, and some chapters are 50k+ words! I AM NOT SHITTING YOU. I AM SERIOUS. THESE CHAPTERS ARE MONSTERS, AND THEY ARE SOOOOOO WORTH IT!**


	6. Next Generation!

**BTW, this chapter is a bit confusing at first, but later on it'll make more sense. Also changing the filler COMPLETELY- I might regret this later...**

* * *

 **I don't own this fandom. Shame, though; I sure wish I did.**

* * *

 **Last Time on Fairy Tail!**

* * *

 _A smirk formed on his face, and it grew to the point where his teeth were barely unnoticeable. Jose had obviously realized he was dangerous, and was trying to end him with these pitiful creatures? The Half-Human lat out a laugh that echoed throughout the battle field, dripping with strength and madness._

 _"YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO TRY BETTER THAN THAT, BASTARD!" Kaneki roared, and leapt into the air at an astonishing 13 feet, and as he surpassed the diving shade soldiers, started to spin in a circle, going faster and faster as gravity took over and pulled him down, shredding the soldiers as he fell._

 _"WHEN I'M DONE WITH YOU, PAIN WILL BE THE LEAST OF YOU'RE WORRIES!" Jose screamed, fury radiating off him in waves._

 _As Kaneki's feet landed on the ground, he left impressive craters, and with a roar, he pulled his arms into his chest, and his Kagune glowed a sinister purple. When he looked up, he was looking directly at the Giant, but more importantly, at Jose himself, and as he slowly extended his arms, Kaneki said, "Pain is my ally, my friend. It tells me when I've been wounded badly. But you want to know what the best thing about pain is?"_

 _He brought his hands together in a sickening clap, and he roared, "It tells you when you're NOT DEAD YET!" And with that, a sizable blast that could rival Etherion was sent straight at the Jupiter canon, destroying it's telescope-like interior instantly. Not even shrapnel was left._

 _With his magical energy utterly spent- yet again- Kaneki fell backwards, and as his eyes closed and his mind fell into unconsciousness, he heard a soft yet unmistakable voice in the back of his mind._

"I love you, Ani-chan!"

* * *

 **Next Generation!**

* * *

 _"I don't understand, brother. Why do you enjoy humans so much?"_ A boy asked, his shaggy brown hair waving in the wind. The elder sighed, running a hand through his black hair before answering his sibling. _"I don't know- I just do. They're interesting, for starters, and they live for such a short time that they do everything fast and inaccurate."_

 _"I think humans are funny!"_ Another boy said, a smile on his face as he grinned up at his older brothers, his spiky black hair bouncing up and down. _"They're fun to watch!"_

The boy with the brown hair, seemingly the middle child, smiled down at his younger brother. _"Yeah, they are, aren't they?"_

The youngest nodded. _"Yup!"_ Then his smile faded as he added, _"But they don't live very long..."_

 _"Not every human is immortal, you know,"_ The middle child pointed out kindly. The youngest nodded and sighed. _"Yeah..."_

The elder smiled slightly and nodded. _"I think that humans are worth more than food- they have feelings, lives, souls and emotions just like we do, brothers."_

The middle child nodded and leaned against the elder. _"I'll be happy with whatever you choose, brother, because I'll go with you."_ The younger grinned and hugged his older siblings. _"Me too!"_

The eldest smiled sadly and whispered, _"Not this time..."_

* * *

 **Next Generation!**

* * *

"Listen up everyone!" Mirajane called from behind the bar counter. "We're taking up job request's again, starting today! You'll have to excuse the mess while we're under construction, but at least you can get back to work!"

Everyone cheered, spirits lifted at the idea of doing a normal activity. "What's up with them?" Lucy asked, eyeing the horde of people at the Request Board. "Most of the time these guys are just loafing around the Guild Hall all day."

Mirajane giggled. "I don't suppose you've seen Loke, have you?" Lucy asked, turning to look for the Wizard. "Don't tell me you've fell head over heals for Fairy Tail's resident play boy," Mirajane teased, and Lucy instantly turned to face the She Demon, her face pulled into a comical one of horror. "IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!" She protested.

Lucy leaned back and held up her Celestial Keys, saying, "It's just that apparently he's the one who found my keys." She slipped the pouch back onto her hip, adding, "I just wanted to say thanks for his help."

"Sure, I'll let him know if I see him," Mirajane told her. She leaned forward, asking, "So were you're spirits mad at you? You know, for dropping their keys." Lucy cringed slightly as she remembered Aquarius's wrath. "Yeah... you could say that. And there was one spirit in particular who was really pissed at me."

Lucy leaned forward, her chin resting against the counter as her hands massaged her butt. "Just thinking about it makes my butt sting..."

"I could cool it for you." Gray offered, his hand shimmering with icy vapor, and his face pulled into one of 'serious business.' "That sounds like sexual harassment to me." Lucy said with a deadpan, not bothering to turn around.

"Lucy can you show me how red your butt is?" Happy asked with a slightly perverted tone. "And with that comment you've crossed the line!" Lucy exclaimed towards the Blue cat.

"How do you think she'd react if I make her butt sting even more?" Natsu asked the Cat, his hand covered in flames, face pulled into a mischievous expression. "ARE YOU THE DEVIL?!" Lucy exclaimed towards the Dragon Slayer. Before Lucy could exempt her wrath upon the Dragon Slayer, a large barrel hurtled towards the Salmon head, knocking him and Happy to the ground.

"Why don't you tell them how you feel?" Erza snarled, glaring at a figure hidden in a cloak.

"What's goin' on?" Gray and Lucy asked at the same time, watching Erza's face, which was contorted in fury.

"I have no problem telling them what I think of them," The man said. His hair was blonde and spiky, held up by what seemed to be static. Two silver headphones covered his ears, large iron spikes jutting out of them. A grey cloak covered his camouflage attire, but the most startling thing about him was the lightning scar that ran across his right eye, jutting across his eyebrow and heading past his nose.

"This Guild's full of nothing but fools and weaklings!" He added, and turned towards Jet and Droy, adding, "Especially the two of you morons. You were Phantom's personal punching bags! You know, I'm glad I never bothered to learn your names."

He turned towards Lucy, saying with a sneer, "Which brings me to the worst of them all; the rich little princess wannabe wizard. This was your fault."

"Laxus!" Mirajane yelled. "Just shut up. The Master said that no one in the Guild was to be held accountable for what happened, not even you or Kaneki- despite the fact that I begged you to help and you turned you're back on us!"

"STOP YOU'RE WHINING!" Laxus roared. "That fight had nothing to do with me- and that kid is still in a coma. He tried to kill half of Fairy Tail, losing control of his magic like that! I think he's more at fault than I am!" Pausing, he added, "But if I HAD been there, you all wouldn't be drowning you're sorrows in a pile of rubble right now!"

With those words, Erza snapped. "Why you-" But she was cut off by Natsu, who's anger far surpassed her own. "I'VE HEARD ENOUGH OUT OF YOU!" The Dragon Slayer roared, charging the bastard with his fists coated in fire. Electricity hummed around Laxus, and he appeared behind Natsu, who fell without the leverage of a force to push against.

"Come on Laxus, fight me like a man!" Natsu roared. "You gutless coward!" He added, fury enlacing his words. Lauxus laughed. "How do you expect to fight me when you can't even touch me, you dimwit? I can't wait to inherit this place and kick all you weaklings to the curb!"

"YOU'RE DAYS IN FAIRY TAIL ARE NUMBERED, KIDS! Things are gonna be a whole lot different around here, so I guess you losers are gonna have to find a new place to hang out." Laughing, he disappeared in a bolt of lighting.

Natsu glared at where he disappeared, his fist clenched tightly together. Lucy glared at the spot also, then let out a small huff of air and sat back down. "What a jerk," She said to Mirajane. "Why would anyone ever want him to take over?"

"We may not have a choice," Mirajane said with a sigh. "Laxus could inherit the Guild because he is the Master's grandson."

"HUH?!" Lucy exclaimed, not believing that a man so kind would be able to spawn something so self centered. "Whether we like it or not, he's at the top of a very short list of people if the master were to retire."

"Wow... really?" Lucy said. "That sucks. It doesn't seem right; Someone who talks like that about his fellow members isn't worthy of being their leader."

"It's been rumored that Master Makarov refuses to retire for that very reason," Mirajane said with a slightly hushed tone. "Wow, seriously?" Lucy asked, slightly surprised at the idea.

"Man I hate him." Natsu hissed. "Calm down, it's just a needless waste of energy." Erza chided. "Let's try to get you're mind off him- what do you think about seeing Kaneki? We could get Gray and Lucy to come too!"

"WHAT?!" Lucy exclaimed, not believing what she had just heard.

At the mention of his name uttered from Erza's lips, Gray froze in midair. "Gray, you're clothes..." Mirajane said with a smile, causing Gray to glance down at his body covered only in black boxers.

"We've all been working together since the Eisenwald incident, so I guess we're a team now," Erza said with a slight smirk on her face. "So what do you think about making it official? The five of us working as a team! Well, actually six if we include Happy."

They all stared at her. "But... are you sure you want someone like me on your team?" Lucy asked. "Not someone like you!" Natsu exclaimed. "Lucy, its gotta be exactly you!" "Aye!" Happy seconded with a grin. "It just wouldn't seem right if we didn't have you out there with us, ya know?" Natsu added, cocking his head to the side with a grin.

Lucy stared at Natsu, a blush on her face before she too laughed with the Dragon Slayer.

 _'I gotta team up with_ him _?'_ Gray and Natsu thought unanimously, glaring at each other. "Problem boys?" Erza asked coolly, and they both immediately spun away in symmetry that would make Kid proud. "No, we're absolutely thrilled!"

"Wait a minute- there's five of us, counting Happy, so whose the sixth?" Lucy asked Erza, who turned to face the Celestial Wizard. "Why, Kaneki of course!" Erza exclaimed. "I just got my brother back, and I'm not about to let him out of my sights!" This phrase would have been touching, if not for the devilish gleam in Erza's eyes, causing Lucy to pity the poor boy.

"Come on then, let's get to the hospital!" Erza yelled, and they all cheered.

* * *

 **Next Generation!**

* * *

 **[Minor OC here. Nothing to worry about. Also slight OOC...]**

"Excuse me, but can you tell me which room number Kaneki Ghoul is in? We've come to pay him a visit." Erza said to a girl sitting at the counter, who spared quick glances at the Wizards, a slight blush on her face, green eyes shining with wonder. "Uh, sure!" She said, brushing some of her long orange hair out of her face. She skimmed a long page, then said to Erza, "He's in room Sixty six. Just be a bit careful, though. He doesn't want anyone inside, and he refuses to eat."

Erza frowned in concern. "Thank you for telling us. Natsu, Gray, Lucy, come on!" She called over her shoulder, then headed towards the hallway. "You didn't call _my_ name!" Happy sobbed, resting on Natsu's head once again. "That's because you aren't a wizard, cat." Gray said with a roll of his eyes. "Are you saying Happy isn't a wizard?" Natsu growled, smoke rising from his fists. The air around Gray shimmered with cold. "I'm saying that your cat can't do any magic other than fly, so yeah, I don't count him as a wizard. Besides, he isn't even human!"

Lucy glared at Gray. "Alright, that's crossing the line, you guys." She growled and held up Aquarius threateningly. "Don't make me use this..."

Natsu rolled his eyes. "No way she'd summon The Beast..." He said to Gray, who nodded, and as they both went back to resuming their fight, Lucy's eyes gleamed devilishly as Aquarius' key glowed. "I call-"

"NO WAIT FINE I TAKE IT BACK I TAKE IT BACK!" Gray cried, shivering at the idea of suffering the Spirit's wrath. Again. _'I still have scars from that...'_ He thought.

Erza gave Lucy a firm, approving nod, causing the Celestial Wizard to blush as they all continued to walk down the hallway. A doctor hurried past them, his white over coat full of small holes, arms riddled with scratches. He stopped when he noticed the Wizards, and asked, "Oi! Where are you headed?"

Trying to ignore his ragged appearance, Lucy said, "Uh, we're headed to room Sixty six. Are we close?"

The man's face contorted with fear, and he shuddered. "Not a good idea to go in there- the boy nearly impaled a nurse when she was trying to get him to eat something."

Erza glared at the doctor, while Natsu's eyes widened. "Cool!" He said with a grin, turning to face Happy, who just shook his head. "There's no way Kaneki would do that," Erza muttered after the doctor had gone past them. "He isn't like that."

"Well, he did lose control..." Happy pointed out, and the five of them descended into an uncomfortable silence.

"Sixty four... sixty five... sixty six!" Natsu said, and faced an oak door. The only difference between this one and all the other's was that this door was scratched, it's surface ruined. The doorknob was dented, and small flecks of blood lined the floor going into it.

The five of them exchanged a glance, and with a sigh, Erza grabbed the handle and twisted it. Surprisingly, the door held, and as it slowly swung open, they all noticed that the lights were off and the curtains closed. "Think he's gone?" Natsu asked, but before anyone could reply, a shape whirled towards them, stopping only centimeters short of Erza's face.

"I told you not to come inside," A voice hissed, dripping with malice. Moving away from the tentacle that was unmistakably Kaneki's, Erza took a step forward, sword in hand. "Kaneki, it's me, Erza." She said, and took another step inside the door frame. "I've only come to visit, same with the others."

The tentacle relaxed slightly, slowly returning to its master. "Others?" Kaneki asked, his voice not as hostile as before. Erza nodded, taking another chance step. "Yes- Natsu, Gray, Happy and Lucy are with me too."

"She mentioned me~!" Happy whispered to Natsu, who nodded and let his hand light up dimly, then he walked inside, his fire casting an eerie glow.

What they saw appalled them. The bed sheets were torn into ribbons, and the parts of stuffing were exposed in the mattress, indicating there had been a large struggle. A tray of food lay near the bed, having fallen off, its contents ruined and cold on the floor. A few drops of blood lay near the food as well, leading out the door, which led in a trail down the hallway none of them had noticed before.

The curtains were untouched, but the window wasn't. The handles were bent at odd angles, and the wall and floor had several dents in it, pointing towards a scuffle.

Kaneki himself... He was hanging onto the ceiling like a spider, his tentacles keeping him suspended. His shaggy white hair moved in a non existent breeze, and his hospital gown- somehow -stayed in the same place, hiding his extremities. But the gown itself was torn and bloody, and the top had been torn off, exposing Kaneki's bare chest but covering his lower half, not counting his abs, but everything below.

He was in good shape, and while his muscles were noticeable, they were still hidden, giving him a small and lanky appearance. The most noticeable thing about him, though, was his left eye- the whites were completely black, and the iris was blood red, giving him a demonic appearance. As his tentacle returned to him, Kaneki eyed them all warily, frowned, then muttered to himself.

"Uh, Kaneki?" He snapped out of his stupor and cocked his head animalistically at the person who had spoken- Lucy Heartfilia. "C-can you come down? Please?"

He seemed to ponder the idea for a second, then extended his tentacles towards the floor, keeping one attached to the ceiling for leverage. He then let go and landed gracefully, reminding Lucy of a cat.

"Why are you here?" He asked, and Lucy shivered. His voice was devoid of emotion. "We only came to visit you, Kaneki." Erza said, and risked another step forward. Kaneki went rigid, prepared for a fight, then seemed to realize who she was again and relaxed, though his tentacles didn't retract.

Kaneki sighed, and motioned for them to enter. As Gray went to turn on the lights, a tentacle whizzed past him, trimming his hair slightly. Gray froze, his fingers on the switch, and he turned to see Kaneki as he said, "Please don't do that."

Gray slowly stepped back, his hand leaving the switch, and Natsu eyed Kaneki with a bit of nervousness. It was clear now- the darkness was the man's territory.

The door shut with a bang, causing Lucy to jump. It didn't take much to tell that they were all jumpy- except for Erza, of course. The Re-Quip Wizard seemed to be made of steel.

"I want to know why the hell I'm in this damn hospital, and why they said I was in a coma." Kaneki growled, and an aura of power surrounded him, and Lucy slammed a hand over her mouth to hide her whimper. Natsu and Gray moved next to Lucy, their forms in a fighting stance, ready to attack if necessary. Happy flew near the light switch, ready to flick it on if a fight ensued.

All five of them knew- Kaneki was ready to kill someone.

* * *

 **Next Generation!**

* * *

Kaneki was mad. No, scratch that. He was furious. He had been having a pleasant dream about himself playing with that one girl he had decided to call Cait, since her name always escaped him. Anyways, he was dreaming when someone woke him up from a pleasant dream- a rare occurrence nowadays. He grudgingly opened his eyes to find a teenage girl dressed in a Nurse's uniform hold a spoon full of food. Human food, to be precise.

His reaction was instantaneous. There was no warning- his Kague just erupted behind him and held her in midair before she could react and he could stop it. Kaneki had tried to get them to release her, as she was screaming in pain since they were pulling her limbs- but to no avail; he was hungry, and his instincts told him that she was a meal, and that he should eat her.

In the end, years of practice won out, and his Kagune released her. Unable to control his hunger, Kaneki had let out an unearthly wail that- as he had been told- seemed to come from hell itself. And as he had noticed, no human could hear it and be brave before it. So in less than a few seconds, she had bolted from the room reeking of fear.

Then, as Kaneki was trying to find his emergency cubes, a horde of doctors freaking _busted_ down the door and swarmed him with restraint circles. Kaneki's Kagune had, yet again, acted on their own accord, and fought them back, inflicting injuries, but not critical ones. They weren't in their strongest form; they were in their regular rubber-like state, something Kaneki blessed for what seemed to be the thousandth time.

Kaneki then warned them to not disturb him- and they had, thankfully, agreed. So after the humans had left the room, Kaneki decided to pin himself onto the ceiling- it tended to scare humans away, and he had shut the lights out, his ghoul side more attuned to the darkness.

Kaneki had vaguely realized he was losing his human self, and he would for good if he didn't eat soon, but the imprint was lost in a battle of himself and Akuma against Rize, who had taken the opportunity to try to break free.

When they had finally beat Rize back, the door opened once again to reveal humans once again. Enraged that he had been disturbed, Kaneki flung his Kagune towards the first one to enter- a woman with scarlet red hair.

After Kaneki had realized who they were, he dropped from the ceiling after he realized it was scaring Lucy, and demanded an answer to the questions that plagued him.

And now it finally seemed he would get his answer...

* * *

 **Next Generation!**

* * *

As the aura around Kaneki faded into nothing, Erza raised her eyebrows. "You don't remember?" She asked, earning an annoyed eye roll. "If I did, I wouldn't be asking." He muttered, and seemed to finally notice everyone else's stances. To their utmost surprise, he fucking _blushed_ and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly as his tentacles faded into nothing.

"Sorry about that..." Kaneki mumbled, and Happy flew back to Natsu, eyeing Kaneki warily. Natsu's fist was still on fire, and he looked slightly drained from the magic energy he was expensing at one time, but it didn't phase him in the slightest; his fire burned ever brighter.

Erza let out a sigh and gave Lucy a look that said, 'And to think I missed this bumbling idiot.' Turning back to her older brother, Erza said, "Well, I don't know all the details since I was busy fighting Aria-"

"Who?" Kaneki interrupted, much to Erza's annoyance as a tick mark formed on her forehead. "One of the element four- he was Spirit."

Kaneki frowned, but nodded for Erza to continue. "After the Giant was defeated and the Master performed Fairy Law-"

Kaneki clapped his hands together, interrupting her yet again. "But wasn't the Master drained from a spell?"

"He recovered," Gray stated, eyeing Erza nervously, as did Natsu. They didn't know how long Kaneki had been with her, but he sure didn't know not to get her mad.

"Ah. Good to hear. Continue." Kaneki said, eyeing Erza expectantly. The Re-Quip Wizard let out an exasperated huff of air, and resumed her explanation.

"So after Phantom Lord was defeated, everyone returned to the Guild Hall, which was destroyed." Kaneki's fists clenched together in obvious anger, but made no attempt to ask a question. "You were unconscious, and then the Council arrived. They interrogated us for a while, and then they left."

Her posture became slightly sheepish as she looked at Lucy. "I don't know what happened next because I went to-" "Buy a pastry?" Kaneki guessed, and chuckled when her cheeks flamed up. "That's just like you."

Lucy sucked in a deep breath, then continued where Erza left off. "Well, after the Council left, it hadn't been more than a few hours before Natsu started a fight with most of the members. After about five minutes, Loke joined in and was kicked right on top of a beam, which fell on you- everyone practically panicked, since you were unconscious and injured." A slight smile graced her lips, then faded as she went on.

"It- it was pretty scary. You're tentacles came out, and you picked Loke up by the neck and threw him into the ground. Everyone had stopped to watch you by then, and by the time Loke screamed for us to run, it was too late."

Kaneki stiffened. "Did- did anyone die?" Surprised by his question, Lucy opened her mouth to respond, but Natsu did for her. "Nope! Trust me though, everyone had a pretty hard time knocking you out."

"A lot of people are starting your power rivals the Master," Gray joked. Lucy twiddled her thumbs, then went on. "You- you fought for a while, and you're magic went completely out of control. When everyone finally got you contained, you didn't seem to be human at all."

Kaneki looked down at his feet, eyes overshadowed by his bangs. He stood there like that for a few moments, then looked up, saying, "He was holding me back."

Erza blinked. "Who was holding you back?" Kaneki stiffened with surprise, before saying, "Makarov cast a few binding spells on me in case something like that ever happened. It- it reduced my full strength to five percent."

The room was silent as they all absorbed that bit of information. "It took everyone just to knock you out- that alone took an hour," Lucy whispered. "Just how strong are you?"

Kaneki let out a haunting laugh lacking humor and said, "That's because I'm not human, Lucy."

* * *

 **Next Generation!**

* * *

 **Next Time On Fairy Tail!**

Kaneki has joined Fairy Tail's strongest team and tries to apologize for losing control of his Kagune! Meanwhile, Loke has gone missing and no one knows where he went! And why is Kaneki refusing to eat? Find out next time in: A Star Removed From the Sky!

* * *

 **[EDIT - Cut out stuff from the AN's. Added disclaimer. See any typos? ^_^]**

 **...aaand done! Didn't look this through very carefully, so PM me for typos!**


	7. A Star Removed From the Sky!

thenotes146 - **Touka and Anteiku will appear after the Tenrou Island arc; I'm still working on the timeline for that part. GODS, I CAN'T WAIT FOR IT!**

Dr4g0nb411z - **I am glad you like my fic! I've seen all those [no offense,] crappy tokyo Ghoul crossovers, so I have resolved to make it my mission to create awesome fics, and become as amazing as Clock Work's Apprentice, DayLightDove, Hostiel, and Dr. ForgottenFables!**

 **[Skipping Hosenka Village because I have no life and I'm bored of blindly following episodes]**

 ***I am not calling Happy 'Exceed' because no one knows he is one yet.***

 ****To make things clear, I don't really stick to Kaneki's POV all the time. Sometime's its normal third person, where everyone is present without their thoughts and they don't know what Kaneki's Kagune are called, so they're dubbed tentacles, until I have a small bit in a chapter where Kaneki explains his Ghoul anatomy. [Probably after the Jellal arc, but I dunno...]****

* * *

 **I don't own this fandom. Shame, though; I sure wish I did.**

* * *

 **LAST TIME ON FAIRYTAIL!**

 _Lucy sucked in a deep breath, then continued where Erza left off. "Well, after the Council left, it hadn't been more than a few hours before Natsu started a fight with most of the members. After about five minutes, Loke joined in and was kicked right on top of a beam, which fell on you- everyone practically panicked, since you were unconscious and injured." A slight smile graced her lips, then faded as she went on._

 _"It- it was pretty scary. You're tentacles came out, and you picked Loke up by the neck and threw him into the ground. Everyone had stopped to watch you by then, and by the time Loke screamed for us to run, it was too late."_

 _Kaneki stiffened. "Did- did anyone die?" Surprised by his question, Lucy opened her mouth to respond, but Natsu did for her. "Nope! Trust me though, everyone had a pretty hard time knocking you out."_

 _"A lot of people are starting your power rivals the Master," Gray joked. Lucy twiddled her thumbs, then went on. "You- you fought for a while, and you're magic went completely out of control. When everyone finally got you contained, you didn't seem to be human at all."_

 _Kaneki looked down at his feet, eyes overshadowed by his bangs. He stood there like that for a few moments, then looked up, saying, "He was holding me back."_

 _Erza blinked. "Who was holding you back?" Kaneki stiffened with surprise, before saying, "Makarov cast a few binding spells on me in case something like that ever happened. It- it reduced my full strength to five percent."_

 _The room was silent as they all absorbed that bit of information. "It took everyone just to knock you out- that alone took an hour," Lucy whispered. "Just how strong are you?"_

 _Kaneki let out a haunting laugh lacking humor and said, "That's because I'm not human, Lucy."_

* * *

 **A Star Removed From The Sky!**

* * *

"Well, you're in a bad mood," Lucy remarked as Fairy Tail's strongest team made their way back to the Guild Hall. Kaneki let out a sigh and gave the sun a piercing glare. "Sunlight isn't really my thing," He admitted. Lucy thought back to how creepy Kaneki was in the Hospital room and sweat dropped from the memory.

"No kidding," She muttered dryly. Shaking her head in an effort to get rid of the rising goose bumps on her arms, she quickened her pace to be next to Natsu, who was talking loudly to Happy.

"When we get back to the Guild, we're gonna eat fish, Natsu!" Happy exclaimed. Natsu shook his head. "No way! We're having a full out barbecue!"

As their bickering increased, Gray sighed. "Why don't you both eat what you want separately? Save me the trouble..." He muttered at the end to himself. The blue cat and Dragon Slayer blinked owlishly at the Ice Make Wizard, then looked at the other, and after exclaiming, "Nah," Unanimously, were right back at it.

Gray's eye twitched, and Kaneki, unable to keep back his rising temper, unfurled only two of his tentacles and whacked Happy into the ground, forming a small crater, and hit Natsu with so much force his head sank into the ground two inches deep, a large bump forming on his head.

After they both recovered seconds later, they looked up not to see Erza, but Kaneki with a devilish gleam in his eye and a dark purple aura surrounding him. "If you two would so kindly shut up, I won't be forced to silence you by burying you both six feet under," He growled. "We'll be quiet!" Came the two meek replies. Satisfied, Kaneki withdrew his tentacles and the black and red in his eye disappeared, replaced by his normal dull brown color.

The six resumed walking in silence, Natsu and Happy uncharacteristically quiet as to avoid getting pounded into the ground by Erza's older brother. At that thought, Gray, Lucy, Happy and Natsu all sweat dropped. _'We should have known he was where she gets it from!'_ They all cried internally.

Happy, bored out of his mind, reached into the folds of his green back pack and withdrew a large diamond. "Hey Lucy, check out this pretty rock!" He offered, stiffening in mock fear as Kaneki's deathly aura returned in all it's glory. "SHUT UP!" He roared, and kicked the cat in the face, sending him crashing through the trees.

As Natsu ran after his best friend, shouting his name in earnest, Erza eyed Kaneki, shaking her head. "I thought for sure you'd get pissed off," She remarked. Lucy and Gray sweat dropped at this. "He's not even mad?!" Lucy exclaimed. Erza blinked, then shook her head. "Nope. Actually, this is when he's calm."

They both blanched at that. "Remind me not to get him mad..." Lucy muttered in a dead pan. Gray nodded. "Same."

Lucy blinked, then turned her head, frowning slightly. "Hey, is that Loke?" Everyone turned to her direction. Loke was standing in the center of the path, eyeing them all with a calm expression.

Natsu, who had appeared from who-knows-where, reached the Mage first, saying, "What a coincidence! You have work out here?"

Loke blinked. "You guys too?" His calm demeanor vanished when he saw Lucy, and he crouched low, his hands held in a defensive position. "Lucy!"

"Perfect timing!" Lucy said with a smile, holding her hand out in a friendly wave. "I wanted to thank you for-"

Loke dead panned when he saw Kaneki come closer. "Well, I got work to do. Bye!" And with that, he ran down the path at top speed away from the team, arms held up in the air like a person begging for mercy.

Everyone stared after him. Lucy sweat dropped again, looking miffed. "Wha- What's his deal?!"

Gray raised an eyebrow, just as confused as the rest of them. "What did you do to him?"

Kaneki turned his head and stiffened a surprised gasp when he saw Juvia hiding behind a boulder, her eyes dreamy and set on Gray. Kaneki looked from the ex-Phantom Lord member to the Ice Make Wizard, then back again, and just shrugged his shoulders and moved back next to Erza.

 _ **"Creepy..."**_ Akuma muttered. Kaneki nodded his head in agreement and shuddered slightly. _'Should I tell Gray he has a stalker?'_

They were both silent, until Akuma snickered. **_"Nah, I wanna see his reaction when he finally notices her."_**

Kaneki nodded, a smirk growing on his face as he thought about it. _'Oh yeah, I definitely want to be there when_ that _happens.'_

"He's avoiding you like crazy," Natsu remarked and eyed Lucy critically. Lucy, surprised, held up her hands defensively. "I didn't do anything!"

Erza sighed and moved in the way of the three Wizards. "Come on you three, let's get back to the Guild Hall before someone eats my precious cake!"

As she ran full out to Mongolia, Natsu and Gray held in her cluthes, Kaneki let out a low chuckle, and without warning, unfurled his tentacles and picked Lucy up, piggy back style. "O- Oi!" She protested, but Kaneki ignored her and ran after his sister, ignoring the feeligns of immense despair from Loke.

 _'Stupid spirit, blaming himself for her death,'_ He thought. _'That idiot should just tell Lucy and get her to kick their stupid king in the face. Maybe that'd get rid of his ridiculous mustaches.'_

He chuckled at the thought, and with a new burst of speed, surpassed Erza and ran towards the Guild Hall.

* * *

 **A Star Removed From The Sky!**

* * *

"K- Kaneki! You're back early!" Levy remarked, eyeing the Wizard a bit nervously. Kaneki sighed and gave her a small smile. "Yeah, I'm a fast healer," He said and plopped himself down by the bar, Team Shadow Gear following some-what nervously.

"So, uh, Kaneki..." Levy started, twiddling her fingers. "Where's the others?" Jet interjected. Kaneki shrugged. "They decided to lay back at Hosenka Village; dunno why."

Droy blinked. "Don't you want to go there too?" He asked. Kaneki shook his head. "I believe relaxation is a weakness; it dims your will to fight and weakens your skills. I'd rather practice my magic than relax in a spa."

The truth of the matter was that Kaneki didn't want anyone to see the immense magic circle drawn on his chest from the R-System. It was a forbidden magic circle, and Kaneki was scared that he'd be kicked out of the Guild before he had the chance to explain himself properly. _'But how can I do that,'_ He thought dryly, _'When five years of my life are a complete blank?'_

"Um, Kaneki?" Tossed out of his thoughts, Kaneki turned towards Levy, who had a nervous look on her face and curious twinkle in her eyes. "What type of magic do you use?"

Kaneki blinked, then slowly unfurled his Kagune as to not alarm anyone. Jet and Droy let out low, startled gasps when his Kakugan formed. "I'm a Take-over wizard," He stated matter-of-factly. _'I can also absorb people's magic energy when I eat them, I can summon Demons, and I can speak in Demon Tongue. Oh, and did I mention that I eat humans?'_

"Oh." Levy murmured. "Then what's up with your eye?" Kaneki stiffened; this was the moment that could reveal himself or keep his secret even further locked away. "I don't know. It just happens when I summon my magic." He answered vaguely, giving the Script Mage a look that said he didn't want to talk about it further.

"Hey Mirajane, could I have a cup of coffee?" The half-human asked. Mirajane nodded, giving him a smile as she went to brew it. Jet blinked. "How come you like coffee so much?" Levy and Droy did a dead pan; Jet may be a Speed Wizard, but he was pretty dense. Obviously the newest member wanted to be alone!

"I'm not sure." Kaneki answered, giving Mirajane a small nod as she set the tea cup in front of him. "I just always have; I was never a big fan of booze."

Levy blinked. "So... is that why you freaked out on Cana that last time?" Kaneki sighed and dragged his hand down his face. "Uh... I guess." _'Actually the reason is because I have two demons in my head, and one of them is my closest friend while the other his a very flirtatious female that is trying to gain control of me and make me utterly insane, and sometimes she wins control and I'm a rampaging monster with a bottomless stomach.'_

 ** _"Ah, how I love sarcasm."_ ** Kaneki jumped in his seat, nearly spilling his coffee. _'A- Akuma! You startled me! Oh gods, help me out here!'_

His link shook his head, a smirk seemingly on his face. _**"Nah, I think you'll be fine. After all, you did want to join Fairy Tail after all!"**_

Kaneki dead panned. _'Traitor,'_ He sent back with a pout, then returned to reality, facing Levy, who was talking to Jet and Droy. Kaneki started to slowly drain his cup, and Akuma's presence returned. **_"Dude, talk to them already," He urged. "If you want to be accepted by the Guild, then become friends with 'em!"_**

Kaneki felt a small blush rise to his cheeks, and he abruptly left the bar and headed to a more secluded corner of the Guild Hall to continue the conversation. _'If you think I like Levy, you're wrong. I don't like any female like that, and besides... none would trust me once they figured out what I am, anyways.'_

Akuma sighed. **_"Well, isn't it worth the chance? I mean, you may not be human, but you aren't a monster, either."_**

Kaneki stiffened. _'What do you mean?'_

Akuma smiled slightly. ** _"A monster is a person who kills with no remorse, and one who doesn't care who they hurt. You... you send money to the person's family you've killed, and you're scared for anyone around you, and you've taken huge steps to make sure anyone you love won't die by your hand. That doesn't make you a monster, Kaneki. It makes you a hero."_**

A tear fell down Kaneki's cheek, and he enveloped his consciousness around Akuma's in a smothering hug. _'Thanks... I needed that.'_

Akuma chuckled and enveloped Kaneki in return. _ **"That's what I'm here for, Squid boy."**_

Kaneki dead panned. _'Oh, you did sooo not go there!'_

* * *

 **A Star Removed From the Sky!**

* * *

"Ah! Natsu, Gray, Lucy and Erza are back! Kaneki, come see!"

Tears ran down Happy's face. "You didn't mention me!" The cat wailed. Levy gave him a sympathetic smile and handed the cat a raw Mackerel. "Is that better?" She asked with a small smile. "Aye!" Happy replied with a smile, rubbing the tears from his soaked fur.

Kaneki shook his head at the exchange and ignored the despondent looks on Jet and Droy's faces. _'Is she falling for the cat?!'_ They both exclaimed. _'Well, their affection for her is obvious to all but Levy,'_ He remarked and made his way over to his team. The team. A team?

 _ **"You guys need to pick a leader."** _ Akuma muttered. **_"I can hear you constantly thinking about it, and_ trust _me, it's getting annoying."_**

The half-human blinked when he saw the gauze on Natsu and Gray. "Uh... what happened?" He asked Elfman, who was standing close by.

"Apperantly they got hurt in a pillow fight after work," Mira answered happily. Kaneki eyed Elfman, who nodded and shook his head.

 ** _"Incredible."_** Akuma dead panned. ** _"Once an idiot-"_**

"Always an idiot," Kaneki finished. He ignored the curious glance from Elfman and sat next to Lucy, who was silently eating her soup. As he asked for his faithful coffee, Kaneki sensed the presence of Juvia, and subtly turned his head in her direction. As always, she was staring dreamily at Gray, who was in a verbal war with Natsu.

The half-human promptly turned around and slurped his coffee in one go, not wanting to turn around and look back at her. _'Jeez, what's her deal?'_ He thought. _'One minute she's emotionless and the next she's all crazy over Gray!'_

He blinked. _'Wait... isn't rain supposed to follow her wherever she goes?'_

Akuma shrugged. ** _"Heck if I know."_**

"Why were you so worked up about a pillow fight, anyway?!" Gray demanded, a deathly aura surrounding him. "I do everything at 100% strength!" Natsu retorted, returning the glare and having his own personal 'I-wanna-kill-you' aura. "Yet you still lost 100%!" "What?! You're the one who lost!"

"LUCY! I WON, DIDN'T I?!" They both asked unanimously. Kaneki eyed the Celestial Mage warily as her own aura appeared, and she turned to face them with a deadly dead-pann of doom.

"Shut up."

Natsu and Gray both clung to each other out of fear, their reactions exceedingly comical. Kaneki snickered behind his hood, as did Akuma. _ **"Pricless!"**_ His link whispered, and Kaneki nodded, still snickering. "W-were sorry!" They apologized, earning a rare chuckle from Kaneki.

"Wow. I thought Erza was the only person who could stop those two..." Mira said, eyeing Lucy's deadly aura and needle point glare. "She's a real man." Elfman remarked.

Gray and Natsu walked away, yellow kanji hanging over their heads that forced Kaneki to rub his eyes and blink twice. It read, 'despondent.'

 _'Okaaaaaaay... random words hovering above Guild members seems to be normal,'_ He thought and looked from Mira to Elfman to Lucy, who either didn't see the kanji or saw it and took it as a normal occurrence.

Kaneki really hoped it was the latter; All he needed was one more thing that proved his insanity.

"You've been in a real bad mood, Lucy." Happy said to Lucy, standing his petite twelve inches. Kaneki eyed the cat warily and moved a few seats down. Half of him was expecting Happy to turn white and demand he take his hood down.

"Have I? I'm perfectly normal." Lucy said, not looking down at the cat and putting a spoonful of soup into her mouth. "Are you still mad about my prank?" He asked, ears drooping slightly. Kaneki blinked. What prank?

Lucy swallowed and looked down at him. "No! Do you really take me for someone that petty?!" She turned away and sighed, her deadly aura all but gone and replaced by... sadness. Happy eyed her with concern, and Lucy shook her head slightly. "Sorry. I just have a lot on my mind."

Happy smiled. "You can talk to me about it!" He offered. Lucy gave him a small, forced smile. "No, that's okay. Thanks though."

Loke watched Lucy from behind a side wall, eyeing the Celestial Wizard sadly. "Lucy..." His eyes widened though, and he looked down at his hand. It was shimmering out of focus. "Looks like this is it..."

Kaneki watched his from the bar, eyeing the Celestial Spirit sadly. _'What is he gonna do now?'_ He thought, watching Loke glance up and notice the hoard of freshly dumped girl friends. _'Is he going to just... leave? Accept his fate and die?'_

 ** _"I don't know, kid,"_** Akuma breathed with a sad sigh. ** _"But remember, you're the one who values life more than anyone else ever will. Loke probably believes he deserves his punishment, after what happened to Karen."_**

 _'But it wasn't his fault!'_ Kaneki exclaimed, ignoring how Mira was being hounded by the Girl friend hoard. _'He was doing it to protect Aries! Karen was a disgrace to all Celestial Wizards, treating the Zodiac key's like trash!'_

 _ **"So did she deserve to die like she did? Worn out by summoning two spirits, and dying from the over-usage of Magic? She knew the risks, but she went anyways. If it's anyone's fault she died, it's her own."**_

Kaneki sighed, ignoring the sight of Lucy running away from now pissed-off girl friends. _'You're right, as always.'_ He sighed, and looked for Loke again. The Celestial Spirit in disguise was gone.

 _'Should I follow him?'_ He asked after a moment, prepared to embrace his Ghoul senses and search like a blood hound. Akuma nodded. **_"You should follow him."_**

Kaneki nodded and clapped his hands together, causing Mira to jump slightly. _'Right then! I'm off to find a depressed Celestial Spirit who is currently dying. Wish me luck!'_ As he ran off in the direction Loke had gone, he heard the dim yet unmistakable chuckle of Akuma.

 _ **"Gotta love sarcasm..."**_

* * *

 **A Star Removed From The Sky!**

* * *

Lucy flopped onto her bed, gazing up at the ceiling forlornly. _'Loke... why won't you tell me what's wrong?'_ The Celestial Mage sighed and sat up, her form slumped over in a crooked slant.

"Lucy? What's wrong?" Happy asked. Lucy sighed and closed her eyes, not even thinking about how Happy even got into her apartment. "It's... it's Loke," She confessed. "Earlier, in Hosenka Village, he told me that he was dying, then said he was kidding a bit after."

Happy shrugged. "Well, if he was joking, then he was-" "No!" Lucy interrupted, bringing her fists down onto her thighs. "I don't think he was." She whispered, and Happy's eyes went wide, and his fur seemed to pale slightly. "But then that means-"

"Yeah." Lucy nodded and turned to look the cat dead in the eye. "He's been hiding this from the Guild the entire time." They sat in silence for a few moments, before Lucy reached for her keys, withdrawing a silver one.

"What'cha doin'?" Happy asked, eyeing her curiously. "Seeing if it's true or not," She replied, swiping the key through the air. A magic circle appeared, and with it a Celestial Spirit. "Woah!" Happy exclaimed, staring at the odd spirit.

It's face was formed in the shape of a cross, which was a blue/gray color. The ends were adorned with elemental gold, and he was dressed in normal Celestial attire. He was hovering a few feet away from Lucy, his legs crossed and hands on his knees. The most peculiar thing, however, was the nose hair that extended from his nose and was formed in the shape of a cross.

"Ah, what seems to be the problem, Lucy?" He asked kindly, eyes not opened. Lucy nodded, gripping his key a bit tighter than normal. "C- can you tell me about Loke?"

Crux nodded slowly, all smiles. "Sure! Whadda'ya wanna know?" Lucy sucked in a deep breath. "He's dying, isn't he?"

Crux's smile faded, and his posture drooped slightly. "Yeah. He is."

Happy looked ready to bolt out the window. "We gotta tell the Guild!" He cried. "We have to save him!"

Crux shook his head. "You can't; there's nothing in Earthland that can save him. Loke... he seems to have just given up."

Happy gave the Spirit a desperate glance. "You can't tell us anything more on him, can you?" He cried.

Crux nodded. "Yes, I can tell you a few things without violating personal laws. Loke was a partner of Karen Lilica of the Blue Pegasus Guild, but he left three years ago when she died on a mission."

Lucy nodded, giving the Spirit a sad smile. "Thanks, Grandpa Crux." The Spirit nodded. "No problem! Always ready to help out a Mage!"

Lucy stood, poising his key in the air and ready to close his gate when Happy blurted, "Wait! Can you tell us anything about Kaneki?"

Lucy blinked in surprise at Happy's question, and Crux looked grave. "This couldn't be... Kaneki Ghoul, could it?" He asked, tone wary and concealing an undertone of... fear.

Lucy nodded. "Yeah, that's him."

Crux's eyes opened to reveal swirling orbs of gray. He shot forward, placing his hands on Lucy's shoulders, shaking her slightly. "He is a dangerous creature, Lucy! You cannot trust him, whatever you do!" He turned his gaze onto Happy, who looked nervous. "And you! Don't think for a second that because you aren't human, he won't kill you!"

He leaned back, his long arms drooping. "Oh no. Kaneki Ghoul is a ruthless killer. Nothing and no one is safe around him."

A magic circle appeared around him, and as he faded back into the Spirit world, a faint whisper of his voice reached their ears.

"He has killed many of us as well."

* * *

 **A Star Removed From The Sky!**

* * *

Kaneki sipped his coffee, watching as the Guild Hall occupants dwindled in size as the lesser members left. Soon it was only him, Mira, the Master, Elfman, Natsu and Gray, [who were picking a fight in the far corner], and Erza, who was happily munching on a generous slice of strawberry cake.

Kaneki's stomach growled, and he edged away from Mira slightly, not wanting to take chances. His eye caught Makarov's, who jumped onto the bar and ordered a beer. Mira rushed to get some from a barrel, leaving only the two by the bar, and out of ear shot of the others.

"What's up?" Makarov asked. "I need to go to the basement," Was Kaneki's only reply. Makarov's cheery face fell, and he sighed. "Right, but don't take too long down there. Make sure you replace the circle exactly too, got it?"

Kaneki nodded, and Makarov handed him a set of keys. Kaneki downed the rest of his coffee and walked to the door, unlocked it, and headed down the stairs after locking it behind him.

The half-human let out a sigh of relief as he walked down the stairs, allowing his kakugan and kagune to form. Here, in the darkness, was he allowed to show his true self.

He lifted a few heavy boxes and smirked in satisfaction when he saw the blood red magic seal. "Itakimasu," He said and mockingly brought his hands together. Placing his hands on the seal, the magic dispelled and revealed a brick, which he removed. Inside the alcove was a wrapped package that smelled heavenly.

 _'I hate this,'_ He complained, but unwrapped the food anyways and ate the meat, harvested from the nearby morgue, courtesy of Polyuscia. Only two people in Mongollia knew his secret, and agreed to keep it, as long as he didn't kill anyone for the rest of his life.

 _ **"And you know what I hate? Your complaints,"** _ Akuma retorted. _**"Now eat your food and leave. I'm bored."**_

 _'Aren't you always?'_ Kaneki dead panned, but complied and licked his fingers, then replaced the seal, taking his time to ensure no-one but himself, Makarov and Polyuscia could open it.

 _ **"Gotta love those magical energy friendly circles,"**_ Akuma muttered. The Link trembled with joy as Kaneki left the basement, locking the door behind him. "Yo! Here's the keys," Kaneki called out, throwing them to the Master, who caught them expertly. "Ah! Thanks!" He called out, turning back to his mug.

Suddenly, the doors whooshed open, and Happy charged inside, Lucy not far behind. Their eyes were wide and desperate, and Kaneki saw them both stiffen when they saw him. _'They know,'_ Was his only thought. Fear and desperation clawed at him, and his Kagune threatened to form.

 ** _"Woah, kid! Wait for a sec! You don't know that they know yet! Don't go killing them!"_** Akuma protested, and Kaneki breathed in deeply, forcing his rising adrenaline to die. _'Right. Thanks, Akuma,'_ He whispered, then listened to the words Lucy was only seconds away from saying.

"It's Loke! We have to find him!" Happy cried, flying around the Guild Hall in a panic. "Oi! Cat! Why?" Gray asked, watching him fly.

"HE'S GONNA DIE!" Lucy screamed, and everyone stared at her. "He's been dying for years! Please! WE HAVE TO FIND HIM!"

"LOOOOKEEEE!" Natsu yelled, running out of the Guild Hall as quick as his legs could carry him. Gray, Happy, Mira, Erza and Elfman soon followed, and Makarov ran after them, trying to corral them back. Kaneki eyed Lucy warily, fully prepared to kill her.

"I know," She whispered. "I know your secret." Kaneki's eyes went wide, and he fought back the rising tide of insanity that threatened to over throw him. "And what is that?" He croaked, gritting his teeth in his effort to fight back his Kagune.

"You're a fallen Celestial Spirit, aren't you? Or are you a demon?"

Kaneki stared at her, then allowed the ghost of a smile to cover his face, bangs covering his eyes. "I'm neither." He whispered.

Lucy glared at him. "Then what are you?"

"Wouldn't you love to know..."

* * *

 **A Star Removed From The Sky!**

* * *

 **Next Time on Fairy Tail!**

Erza, Happy and Kaneki are abducted by past friends, and what did Simon mean by 'Man eater?' Meanwhile, Natsu, Gray, Lucy and Juvia race to get them back, none noticing the mysterious Black haired man watching their every move. Will Kaneki's secret finally come into light? Find out next time in: The Tower of Heaven!

* * *

 **[EDIT - Fixed some typos, edited ANs'. See any mistakes?]**

 **Oh. My. GOD. I FINISHED IT! YEEEES! It took me forever and a half, but I did it! FINALLY!**

 **Okay, so since the 'update weekly' thing isn't going so well, I've decided to drop the updating schedule to once a month. I have a valid reason, too!**

 **Okay, so first is because I need to focus on my school work, and lately I've been abandoning homework in favor of typign out more chapters, which doesn't help my grade book.**

 **Second is because I want to get more chapters done, so I can work on future chapters and update ones I've already finished. Updating weekly makes that impossible.**


	8. The Tower of Heaven!

**...And an update! To** JackWitter **, no doubt you expected most of this, but I am going to try as hard as I can to surprise you!**

 **So! Here's the deal - If you guys want an update soon, GIMME. MORE. REVIEWS.**

 **That's all I'm asking - To reach 40! Until I get 40, NO UPDATES. I mean it! I want 40 reviews, or you will die on my cliffie.**

 **[TONS of crap happens in the next few chapters, SO PAY ATTENTION!]**

 **I NOW HAVE A POLL ON MY PROFILE - IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A CHOICE IN MY NEXT STORY THEN VOOOOTE!**

 **Song lyrics used –** **Until it's gone, Linkin Park**

* * *

 **I don't own this fandom. Shame, though; I sure wish I did.**

* * *

 **Last Time on Fairy Tail!**

* * *

 _Suddenly, the doors whooshed open, and Happy charged inside, Lucy not far behind. Their eyes were wide and desperate, and Kaneki saw them both stiffen when they saw him._ 'They know,' _Was his only thought. Fear and desperation clawed at him, and his Kagune threatened to form._

 **"Woah, kid! Wait for a sec! You don't know that they know yet! Don't go killing them!"** _Akuma protested, and Kaneki breathed in deeply, forcing his rising adrenaline to die._ 'Right. Thanks, Akuma,' _He whispered, then listened to the words Lucy was only seconds away from saying._

 _"It's Loke! We have to find him!" Happy cried, flying around the Guild Hall in a panic. "Oi! Cat! Why?" Gray asked, watching him fly._

 _"HE'S GONNA DIE!" Lucy screamed, and everyone stared at her. "He's been dying for years! Please! WE HAVE TO FIND HIM!"_

 _"LOOOOKEEEE!" Natsu yelled, running out of the Guild Hall as quick as his legs could carry him. Gray, Happy, Mira, Erza and Elfman soon followed, and Makarov ran after them, trying to corral them back. Kaneki eyed Lucy warily, fully prepared to kill her._

 _"I know," She whispered. "I know your secret." Kaneki's eyes went wide, and he fought back the rising tide of insanity that threatened to over throw him. "And what is that?" He croaked, gritting his teeth in his effort to fight back his Kagune._

 _"You're a fallen Celestial Spirit, aren't you? Or are you a demon?"_

 _Kaneki stared at her, then allowed the ghost of a smile to cover his face, bangs covering his eyes. "I'm neither." He whispered._

 _Lucy glared at him. "Then what are you?"_

 _"Wouldn't you love to know..."_

* * *

 **The Tower of Heaven!**

* * *

 **Lucy POV**

Kaneki is hiding something; that much is obvious. At first look, someone would take him as the regular Mage, but there's something… off about him. I didn't pay attention to it before, but when he lost control like that, his secrecy and Crux's warning…

I'm scared that he's planning something awful for Fairy Tail, but I don't know if anyone would believe me. Kaneki has become part of the family, like I have, and I think he genuinely likes it here. He seems so happy to…

To _belong_ …

 **Natsu POV**

Man; _Kaneki_. He's strong, that's for sure. I'd like to fight him sometime, but I'd probably get my ass creamed. But then again, that's never stopped me before!

He seems lonely, even around us. The way he acts, it's like he's the last person on earth. And those times he's said he wasn't human… what did he mean? But… something tells me that we're better off not finding out…

 **Gray POV**

You wanna know what I think about Kaneki? I think he's a good guy – Strong, determined, and hardly skips a beat when it comes to protecting people. But while he laughs and smiles, there's a certain… sadness about him, like he knows he doesn't really belong.

And he has said he wasn't human, once to us and twice to Lucy. He lost control of his magic, and it took everyone an hour to get him down. He goes into the basement sometimes and locks the door behind him; believe me, I've tried to follow him down there.

It seems like the Master knows what he is, because he _gives_ Kaneki the freaking keys; but why so secretive? What secret does Kaneki have that can possibly hurt us?

 **Erza POV**

I can't believe that after fifteen years, Kaneki is finally home!

But now he's… he's different. It's not very noticeable, but it's there. He seems… subdued and lonely, especially around the Guild Hall. I've seen his face change emotions, like he was talking telepathically to someone; but if so, who? Who could he be talking to?

It couldn't be Phantom; Kaneki would never betray Fairy Tail or me; I know him well enough to know he'd never do such a thing. But who could it be? A friend of his? Someone in the Guild? Could it be… Jellal?

Who knows what Kaneki did those fifteen years he was gone…?

* * *

 **The Tower of Heaven!**

 ** _Until it's –_**

* * *

Kaneki's eye twitched as he surveyed the beach scene in front of him. Not only was he dragged into the sunlight, but he barely had enough time to pull a pair of black trunks and skin tight shirt before Erza pulled him out of his room and to the beach.

 _'I seriously hate this,'_ He complained as he watched Happy shout "Ow ow ow!" and jump up and down on the sand.

To his amusement, however, Lucy was riding a Saja board with Natsu, who was laying on his stomach and trying not to puke. Lucy was standing and grinning with a big smile on her face, laughing as their board bounced up and down, streaking across the waves.

Erza was playing volleyball with Gray, who amazingly hadn't melted in the heat, being an Ice Wizard and all. Kaneki was keeping an eye out for Juvia, who had undoubtedly followed them here.

 ** _"That lady has problems,"_** Akuma stated. Kaneki nodded, smiling slightly as Lucy had to drag Natsu off the Saja board, and the Dragon Slayer perked up instantly as he fell onto the sand.

Kaneki watched from the sidelines as they all played a few rounds of volleyball, then they raced along the shoreline, laughing as they went.

Kaneki was happy that they were enjoying themselves; he only wished he could too. Even though he had ate recently, he was dreading eating at the restaurant Lucy had made reservations at. _'Stupid insides,'_ He thought sourly as he watched a little boy munch on some nachos.

A part of him cursed Loke where he stood for buying them all tickets to Akane Resort. _'Stupid spirit has it out for me, buying tickets to the place with the most sunshine.'_

"Oi, Kaneki!"

The Half-Human turned towards Natsu, who was holding up a blue inflatable raft big enough for everyone to sit on. "Wanna see how far we can go out in the ocean?"

Kaneki hesitated; was it a good idea to exert himself in some pointless activity, when he'd need to save his strength for later? He looked at the others, who were talking amongst themselves with excited faces.

 _'I wanted to pose as a human, and these are the consequences,'_ He thought with a shake of his head. "Sure, I'll come." Kaneki answered, to which Natsu grinned and called to the others. Happy sprouted wings and hovered over Natsu while they were pushing the raft into the water. Kaneki helped the girls up, and then ordered the others onto the raft as well.

"I have my Kagune; they can do all sorts of things," He said, giving a pointed look to Natsu and Gray.

As everyone situated themselves onto the raft, with Natsu giving it the stink eye, Gray asked, "What's a Kagune?"

Kaneki stopped pushing the raft and blinked like an owl, then sighed and continued his task. "They're what I call my tentacles. A close friend of mine decided to call them that, since my Takeover is unlike any one else's."

Erza nodded. "That does make sense."

"What makes yours so unique?" Lucy asked, letting out a small yelp as Natsu splashed her with water. Kaneki grimaced at her question; this was becoming too much to handle. Too many friends, too many temptations, too many secrets to hide.

"I dunno," He said slowly, taking the 'Natsu approach.' "No one's seems to have ever encountered magic like mine, so that makes me unique, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, but –"

Lucy faltered when Kaneki formed his Kagune, their dark crimson color reflecting in the sunlight. Lucy watched as Kaneki seemed to relax slightly with his Kagune out; he seemed… more at ease.

The Celestial Mage frowned; Just who and _what_ was he?

Like a fan, his Kagune started to swirl in a slow, circular motion, picking up speed as it went along. Soon they were no more than a blur, and Lucy barley heard the words, "Hold on!" Before Kaneki gripped the raft tightly and pushed his whirling Kagune into the water, pushing them forward faster than a Saja board.

Natsu was laughing his head off, enjoying the ride for once. Gray and Lucy were gripping each other tightly, and Erza was just sitting there calmly, not a care in the world as the raft threatened to tip her off.

In less than a minute, they covered several miles on the ocean, and Kaneki pulled himself up onto the raft, letting out a tired sigh and shielding his eyes from the harsh sunlight.

"Did we break any records?" He joked. Lucy was amazed he wasn't even breathing hard; the guy seemed to be made of steel.

"I think so," Happy said hesitantly, hovering over them and rubbing his sore tail. He cast a glare towards Lucy, who gave the cat a sheepish shrug. In the confusion, Lucy had grabbed Happy out of the air by his tail and nearly suffocated him by holding onto Gray.

Kaneki grimaced; it didn't take hardly any imagination to wonder where Happy had spent the ride.

"Aw man, getting sick!" Natsu yelped, his cheeks inflating in his way of keeping the vomit in. Kaneki rolled his eyes at the Dragon Slayer and pushed him over board, keeping his Kagune hovering over him in case Natsu didn't know how to swim very well.

"What was that for?!" Natsu sputtered when he had pulled himself halfway up the raft, glaring at Kaneki. "The least you could say is, 'thank you,'" The half-human grumbled, a frown on his face but a teasing glint in his brown eyes.

Natsu grinned widley. "Oh, it is ON!" The Dragon Slayer then lunged for one of Kaneki's Kagune, and the half-human let out a yelp of surprise as he was pulled into the water, letting out a displeased hiss as his eyes burned.

"Serves you right," Gray huffed in a slightly haughty tone. Kaneki raised an eyebrow at the Ice Make Wizard, then caught Natsu's eye. The Dragon Slayer's grin grew even wider, and they both had devilish gleamed in their eyes.

Gray, realizing his mistake, only had enough time to utter, "Damn it Natsu!" Before the raft was flipped over, sending them all tumbling into the ocean water.

Kaneki and Natsu laughed hard, back floating so they wouldn't swallow the salt water.

Happy was flailing in the water, unable to keep himself afloat. Kaneki wrapped a crimson tentacle around the soaked Cat, suspending him above the water and close to Natsu, who apologized to Happy when he was done laughing.

Gray and Lucy glared at Kaneki and Natsu. Kaneki smiled to himself as he watched Lucy yell at the Dragon Slayer, verbally assaulting him and putting her into a foul yet playful mood.

"You – You pyro!" She seethed. "My hair can't get salt water in it!"

Natsu cocked his head. "But you put salts into your bath all the time. What's the difference?"

"There is a big difference! AND HOW THE HELL DO YOU KNOW THAT?!"

"Don't worry Natsu, I'll attend your funeral," Kaneki whispered, causing Natsu to pale and wave his arms in front of him in a surrendering pose.

"Gah – I just do! That's all!"

"Luuuucyy… KICK!"

Kaneki winced as Natsu shot out of the water, Lucy's bare foot where the Dragon Slayer once resided. "Aaaaaaaaaaaah!" Natsu cried as he barreled straight for the shore line.

Happy sighed. "Guess it's up to me to get him then…" The Blue cat then took off, wings popping into existence as he shot after his best friend.

Kaneki turned towards Lucy after Happy had gone. He raised an eyebrow at the Celestial Mage, who was glaring at the distant form of Natsu, who had just made impact in the sand.

"And you did that because…?"

"The damn pyro deserved it," She seethed, turning to face him. "And so do you. You helped him."

 ** _"Uh oh… time to run, kid!"_** Akuma cried. Kaneki gulped as she pulled her leg back, blue eyes hard.

"Luu-"

 _'And with those words, I'm outta here!'_ Kaneki yelped, and spun his Kagune in the fan-like way from earlier, and shot after Natsu.

Gray and Lucy watched Kaneki retreat to the shoreline, until Erza finally spoke.

"…So, how are we going to get back?"

* * *

 **The Tower of Heaven!**

 _ **GONE!**_

* * *

Kaneki sighed as he pulled a cube out of the fridge, and he popped it into his mouth with no remorse.

 ** _"Who're ya eating this time?"_** Akuma asked.

"A murderer," Kaneki answered in disgust. "He killed ten of his own Guild Members before he killed himself. He has the title of 'The Homicidal Mage of Dark Raven.'"

Akuma blinked. **_"Dark Raven? Never heard of that one before. Do you mean Raven Tail?"_**

Kaneki shrugged. "Could be it. Doesn't really bother me all that much, though."

 ** _"It's just the pedophiles you can't stand, right?"_**

Kaneki nodded with a shudder. "I swear they taste dirty, no matter how much I wash the package." He was silent for a moment, then added, "Same with perverts. And stalkers."

 ** _"Then we can agree to never eat Juvia?"_**

They both paused at the very idea. "No way in hell! She'd probably turn into water anyways," He added as an afterthought.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, and Kaneki extended a Kagune towards the door, ready to impale any threat. "Come in," He called, hastily putting the stash of cubes underneath some human food he had bought earlier.

The door opened to reveal Gray, who was dressed in formal clothes. The Ice Make wizard eyed Kaneki's usual Guild clothes with a raised eyebrow. "Didn't you remember we were going to the casino tonight?"

Kaneki inwardly groaned _. 'Great. Now I'm going to be expected to eat food and not puke. Wonderful,'_ He thought sarcastically.

Akuma shrugged. _**"You were the one who asked for this, remember? I tried to stop you, but nooo~!"**_

Kaneki raised an eyebrow at his Link. _'Um, if I remember correctly, you were the one who wanted me to go._ _'See the sights! Meet new people! Learn new stuff!'_ _Do I have it right?'_

 ** _"Okay, I get the gist,"_** Akuma grumbled. **_"Now go to the playground like a good little boy and make some playmates!"_**

Kaneki deadpanned. _'I hate you.'_

"Kaneki?"

The half human turned towards Gray. In his long conversation with Akuma, he'd forgotten the Ice Mage was there. "So… you going to come?"

Kaneki nodded and forced a smile. "You bet!" He replied, and headed over to his suit case and opened it up, where he had bought a more formal version of his usual Guild clothes.

Like always, it was black, but this time it had red fabric lining the sleeves and hem. His collar was an ash grey color, with deep splashes of crimson to suggest splattered blood. In all reality, the entire outfit was splashed in red, though one would never know which was authentic or faux.

Realizing Gray hadn't left yet, Kaneki turned towards the Mage with an expectant look on his face. Realizing his mistake, Gray blushed slightly and left the doorway, mumbling under his breath. Kaneki shook his head after him, then shut the door with his Kagune, and after moving into a windowless area, tugged off his combat clothes and into his new outfit.

After a few minutes, Kaneki quickly looked himself over in the mirror, and pushed aside his shaggy hair to reveal his Guild Mark, shining bold and proud upon his face.

As he moved his hair, he frowned when it slid back into place.

With a sigh, he yanked a piece of his Kagune off, not even flinching from the sting. He then shaped it into a pin and pushed it into place, and just for the hell of it, made a second one that formed a criss-cross. In all honesty, it looked pretty cool.

 _'It couldn't hurt to be human once in a while… right?'_

* * *

 **The Tower of Heaven!**

 _ **Until it's GONE!**_

* * *

 **The Tower of Heaven!**

Inside, the casino was bustling with people, some smiling as they won, and others moaning as they lost.

Kaneki eyed the roller coaster that sped above his head, close to the ceiling than he'd like. _'I am now wondering what would happen if it blew up.'_

 ** _"Let's test that theory,"_** Akuma said evilly, a shit eating grin on his face. Kaneki shook his head wildly. _'No! No! Bad idea; VERY bad idea!'_

Akuma pouted. **_"Aww. You're no fun."_**

Kaneki shuddered. _'Now wondering what you're definition of fun is…'_

"GIMME MY NUMBER YOU STUPID MACHINE!" Natsu roared, pounding on the Slot Machine. A clerk was standing next to him, asking for him to stop.

Kaneki sweatdropped. _'Once an idiot-'_

 ** _"Always in idiot,"_** Akuma finished. Shaking his head, Kaneki turned away from Natsu's scene, leaving the clerk to his own devices.

Searching for Erza, he headed over to Gray to ask where she went, but found himself looking at Juvia, who had a large golden Fairy Tail logo necklace concealing her cleavage. She was blushing as she asked him, "Gray-sama? Do you remember me?"

"Yeah! You're that chick from Phantom!" Gray exclaimed, surprised that she was standing in front of him.

 ** _"Okay. Let's wait to see if she does anything perv-worthy."_**

 _'And if she does?'_

 ** _"She'll be sorry she was made of water."_**

Kaneki nodded, and kept his distance from them, but close enough to remain in earshot.

"Cool your head, boy."

Kaneki turned to see a man wearing a dark navy suit with a bowler hat. He looked like a normal guy, except for the fact that he was square, like something Levy would come up with.

Instantly, both Link and Ghoul were on alert, listening intently.

"Either play nice with da rest of da grownups, or join the pricks – You get me?" He said to Natsu, who's eyes widened when he took in the man's appearance.

"SQUARE!?" Happy cried.

"Blockhead?!" Natsu exclaimed.

"Now I'm gonna give you some friendly advice, pal," He continued. "In life, you got one or two paths to take."

His body shimmered, and suddenly Natsu was pinned against the slot machine by his arms. The man's legs had disappeared, leaving him hovering on the stool he had sat on.

"What's your deal?!" Natsu asked. "NATSU!" Happy cried, jumping into air in a vain attempt to reach his best friend.

"You can either live a dandy life…" The man poised his hand in a mock gun shape, aimed at Natsu. His arm shimmered, and Kaneki's eyes widened as a gun was formed.

Natsu froze as he stared at the gun. A beam of red light was pointed directly at his forehead.

"…or die a jealous poser. See?"

Kaneki unleashed his Kagune and shot towards 'Block Head.' The cubed man smirked, then pulled a blue piece of crystal from his pocket.

Kaneki froze as he realized what it was; it was a Lacrima. A holding Lacrima, to be precise. It was the type that was used to move him from cell to cell.

"Oh, don't tink I forgot about you, Cannibal," Block Head sneered. "Jellal's been looking for ya and Scarlet. He needs you for 'is big master plan."

"What the hell is all the monologue for?!" Natsu cried. "Kaneki! Just get me out of here!"

Block Head laughed. "Oh, he can't hear ya, boy. He's trying to fight getting pulled inside this little beauty –"

He held the stone in front of Kaneki, who flinched, then went slack as he turned into vapor and was sucked inside. The Larcima shimmered, then darkened into a deep purple.

"But nothing can withstand Jelall's magic."

* * *

 **The Tower of Heaven!**

* * *

"I have a feeling this hot streak is just getting started," Erza stated as she boasted about her deal. "Oh yeah?" Lucy said, winking at the Re-Quip Mage.

"In that case…" The dealer said, shuffling his cards from side to side. "I got a special game for you folks tonight."

Erza's eyes widened as she glanced down at the five cards before her: DEATH.

"And while we're at it, what do you say we raise the stakes a bit higher… sister?"

Erza's eyes went even wider as she gazed up at him. He looked to be about nineteen, with blonde hair the same shade as Lucy's, and dark brown skin that suggested he was born in the western regions of Fiore.

"Sho? Is that you?"

"So you do remember me." He said in his calm, dark way.

"You know him?" Lucy asked, turning to Erza, who was staring in shock.

"You're – you're alive…"

"Alive?" Sho leaned in closer.

"I- I mean-" Erza stuttered.

"You okay?" Lucy asked, a bit concerned.

Suddenly, the lights gave out into complete darkness; neither Lucy nor Erza could even see their own hands, much less each other.

"A gunshot?!" Lucy exclaimed, holding her hands over her ears.

"What's going on?" Erza demanded.

Just as they had disappeared, the lights turned back on once again, startling the two Mage's with the sudden bright light.

"Where'd he go?!"

"I'm right here, sister."

Both turned around to see Sho once again, letting two halves of a deck fall to the ground, revealing people trapped inside.

"Oh no." Erza whispered.

"He trapped them inside the cards?!" Lucy exclaimed, eyeing the man with new found caution and horror.

"Cool, huh?" Sho asked, not seeming to feel any remorse for his actions.

"You use magic…?" Erza whispered, too shocked by the sudden revelations to realize he was now posing a threat.

"That's right," He answered, letting the final card in his hand flutter to the ground. "You're not the only one with powers anymore."

"But who taught you that?!" She exclaimed.

"Meow!"

A pink magic circle appeared under Lucy's feet, and an orange rope tied itself around the Celestial Mage.

"Let her go!" Erza demanded, but didn't re-quip.

"Well aren't you all rosy?"

The girl who had spoken had the appearance of a cat, with amber hair done in an odd style that gave her the appearance of cat ears. She was wearing a pink shirt with a yellow jacket, and a lighter pink skirt and long white leggings completed the look, as with black boots.

"Milliana? You can use… magic too?"

"It's been a while, Erzy-werzy," She replied.

"Please, you have to let her go!" Erza begged. "It's okay – She's a friend of mine!"

"Nya. A friend huh?"

"We used to be friends of yours too, remember? Good friends…" Sho said.

 _'These creeps were her friends?'_ Lucy thought as she struggled against her binds.

"I- I do…" Erza said, looking down like a sheepish child.

"We were very close…" Sho continued. "At least we were… Until you decided to betray us."

Erza flinched at his words, shaking from all the emotions that were running through her.

"Why don't you cut the dame a little slack, pal?" A voice offered, and a person shimmered into view, his arm around Sho's shoulder. "Keep those emotions in check and everything will be real dandy."

"Blockhead?!" Lucy exclaimed, taking in the new character's odd appearance. Erza was startled as well.

He whistled lowly, taking in Erza's appearance. "Nice threads. Life's been good to ya on the outside, hasn't it doll?"

"Wait a minute… Wally?" Erza said, finally recognizing him. "Yep. I'm much smoother now." Wally answered with the tip of his hat.

Lucy deadpanned at his words; he really was a blockhead. "You practice magic as well?" Erza asked him.

"Why are you so surprised? It's not that hard once you get the hang of it."

A person came into view, a man much taller than Erza. He was wearing a white headscarf over his head, and an odd metal piece to obstruct part of his face. A green side sash was thrown over his chest, only covering part of it, and it was tied to his waist. Baggy cargo pants adorned his legs, and boots without socks finished his appearance.

"Of corse, you already knew that, didn't you?"

"Simon!" Erza turned around to face him, and Milianna pushed Lucy to the ground, earning a yelp from the Celestial Wizard.

"Erza, who are these people?!" Lucy cried. "Why does he keep calling you sister?!"

The Re-Quip wizard sighed. "He's not actually my brother. But we all grew up together."

"You mean in the Squalid?" Lucy asked. Erza choked, and then shook her head. "I - Kaneki and I never lived in one of those. It was just a cover, to keep this-" She gestured towards her old friends. "-a secret."

Turning back to said friends, Erza asked, "So why did you find me? What reason could you possibly strive for?"

"Really wanna know?" Milianna purred.

"We're here to take you back wit' us," Wally said, tipping his bowler hat.

"I'm begging you; please, release Lucy!" Erza cried.

Sho snorted. "Who cares about her? We want you and the Cannibal… sister."

"Listen baby, don't make this get ugly." Wally said, forming his hand into a gun once more.

Lucy let out a yelp when she saw the red dot on her forehead, and struggled harder against the rope. "No! Don't hurt her!" Erza pleaded. "Please Wally!"

She then let out a cry of pain as she was blasted from behind.

"ERZA!" Lucy screamed. "Somebody! HELP!"

"We'd better get back to the tower," Simon said. "Are you sure she's gonna be okay?" Sho asked Wally, his dark demeanor lessening a bit. "Don't worry, she's just taking a little nap," Wally said with a grin on his face.

"Hold it! Just where do you think you're taking her?!" Lucy demanded. "You aren't gonna get away with this! Natsu, Gray and Kaneki are gonna find you, and when they do they're gonna make you pay!"

Milliana giggled. "Oh no, they're not gonna be able to help you now!" She said in a sing-song voice.

"Sorry toots, but those guys are gonna be lickin' pavement for a while, you get me?" Wally said.

"What?"

"They were nothing but talk," Simon said. "I expected the Cannibal to be more of a challenge, but unfortunately Jelall's holding Lacrima was stronger than he led on."

"But isn't that a good thing?" Sho asked, forgetting his icy attitude altogether. "If he was out right now… who knew what he'd do?"

"Hmm… let me see…" Miliana murmured, then lit up with a cheery smile. "He could eat us alive, barbecue us like steak, turn us into sushi…" She licked her lips at the thought of fish, but the entire conversation was making the wheels in Lucy's mind turn.

"Where the heck is he?!" She demanded. "And what do you mean by Cannibal?!"

Wally smirked and pulled a large, purple diamond out of his pocket, holding it close to Lucy's face. "Dis here can contain anything - Even monsters like him."

Milanna giggled and clapped her hands together. "Aww, how cute! He never told you his secret!"

She leaned in close to Lucy's face. "Do you wanna hear it? Kaneki is a-"

"Milliana."

The Neko girl turned to face Simon. "That is for Jelall to tell, not us."

Milianna pouted. "Aww… okay."

Lucy stuggled inside her bonds. "No! Tell me! Just what is Kaneki?!"

Sho gave her a cold smile. "You'll find out soon enough."

A blue magic circle appeared above them, and they all disappeared.

"No! Where are you taking them? COME BACK!" Lucy screamed, but it was no use. They were gone.

 _'Cannibal… But Kaneki isn't human,'_ She thought as she struggled against the tightening rope. _'But then again… Cannibals aren't considered human…'_

Her eyes went wide with realization. _'Kaneki eats humans.'_

 _'He's a Man-Eater.'_

* * *

 **The Tower of Heaven!**

* * *

 **Next Time on Fairy Tail!**

Lucy has learned Kaneki's secret, and the team goes after their friends with the help of Juvia! Meanwhile, Jelall tells Kaneki his evil plan; to sacrifice Erza to him, and create a body for Lord Zeref! Will Kaneki break free from his life-long prison? Or will his secret utterly destroy him? Find out next time in: Give Our Prayers to the Sacred Light!

* * *

 **[EDIT - Fixed format, added disclaimer. See any typos?]**

 **Oh gods. I did it. THE ARC IS ALMOST FINISHED AND YEEEEEEES! FANTASIA IS NEXT! WOOT - WOOT!**

 **Remember, 40 reviews or no update!**

 **AND VOTE ON MY FUCKING POLL BECAUSE YOU NEEEEED TOOO!**


	9. Give our Prayers to the Scared Light!

**Bwa ha ha ha! I wasn't kidding when I said 40 reviews!**

 **On the bright side, during the time it took all of you guys so much to review, I had time to type up more chapters!**

 **Aren't I evil? *Devilish smile***

 **Song: Monster by Imagine Dragons**

* * *

 **I don't own this fandom. Shame, though; I sure wish I did.**

* * *

 **Last Time on Fairy Tail!**

* * *

 _Wally smirked and pulled a large, purple diamond out of his pocket, holding it close to Lucy's face. "Dis here can contain anything - Even monsters like him."_

 _Milanna giggled and clapped her hands together. "Aww, how cute! He never told you his secret!"_

 _She leaned in close to Lucy's face. "Do you wanna hear it? Kaneki is a-"_

 _"Milliana."_

 _The Neko girl turned to face Simon. "That is for Jelall to tell, not us."_

 _Milianna pouted. "Aww… okay."_

 _Lucy stuggled inside her bonds. "No! Tell me! Just what is Kaneki?!"_

 _Sho gave her a cold smile. "You'll find out soon enough."_

 _A blue magic circle appeared above them, and they all disappeared._

 _"No! Where are you taking them? COME BACK!" Lucy screamed, but it was no use. They were gone._

'Cannibal… But Kaneki isn't human,' _She thought as she struggled against the tightening rope. '_ But then again… Cannibals aren't considered human…'

 _Her eyes went wide with realization._ 'Kaneki eats humans.'

'He's a Man-Eater.'

* * *

 **Give our Prayers to the Sacred Light!**

 _ **I was never one for pretenders;**_

* * *

Darkness. Absolute darkness, with nowhere to move. He was trapped inside his prison, with no way out. Trapped with her.

 _It's been so long since I had to play with you, Kaneki_ , She purred, licking her lips as she traced a finger up his neck. _Did you miss me?_

Kaneki's eyes were wide with fear, and he trembled. "Y-yes…"

Rize pulled back and frowned. _I don't believe you,_ She said harshly. _If you aren't going to say the truth…_

Six crimson tentacles sprouted from her lower back, and her eyes turned demonic. Her appearance shifted, wearing a white dress splattered with blood.

 _…_ _then don't say anything at all._

And that was when he started to scream.

* * *

 **Give our Prayers to the Sacred Light!**

 ** _This burden came to me -_**

* * *

Jellal smirked; everything was going according to plan. Any minute now, Erza would escape her prison cell and try to find him, and eventually kill him, if his predictions were correct.

The Heavenly Bodied Mage sighed; while he was eager to continue his performance, he was quite bored. He had already sent his Assassins out to try and kill Erza's Guildmates, which left him with no one to talk to, monologue or-

He stopped and stood up a bit straighter in his chair. Of course! There was always that creature he could commune with. Jellal shuddered. That made him sound like a pedophile.

 _'_ _It will not hurt to speak with my prisoner,'_ He thought with a smirk. _'Besides, he will not even be in his correct mind state.'_

He stretched out his hand, and the ground in front of him simmered with Magical energy. Slowly, a large lacrima formed, and inside was a boy. A boy with white hair, wearing a black and red splattered combat outfit, with crimson pins stuck in a cross in his hair, revealing a bright red Fairy Tail mark over his right eye.

It was Ghoul; the man-eater of The Tower of Heaven. Jellal looked at him with pure disgust; this was the creature that ate many Slaves with no remorse. This was the creature who powered the R-System.

This was Erza's executioner.

Jellal reached his hand inside the Lacrima, wincing slightly at the Dark Magic that threatened to absorb his flesh and placed a hand on Ghoul's chest. A red stretch of rope traveled along his body, and Kaneki's form contorted in pain, and his eyes opened to see Jelall's hand.

With lighting speed, Ghoul dove for the unsuspecting fingers, but Jellal snatched his hand out of the Lacrima at the last second, his middle finger slightly cut from Ghoul's razor sharp teeth.

"Fiesty, aren't you?" He whispered to the snarling creature, pissed that he had missed his prey. "Well, I command you. Release."

The Lacrima around him wavered, then turned into liquid, and Ghoul gasped for air as his left eye returned to its normal human state.

He looked around, confused, before seeing Jellal. Ghoul let out an animalistic snarl, his crimson tentacles sprouting from his back. "Who the hell are you?" He demanded, much to Jellal's amusement.

The bluenett chuckled and shook his head. "You're not in much of a position to make demands," He said. Before Ghoul could respond, Jellal gripped his hand into a fist, and Ghoul contorted in pain, the Bind Snake constricting him.

"Damn… you…" He hissed, and his left eye shifted into it's true version; black where the white was and a red iris.

Jellal smirked. "Oh, I won't be going to hell. I shall go to Heaven when I finally die, and I shall do it knowing I have resurrected our Lord Zeref."

Ghoul's face grew pale, and he drew in a shaky breath. "O-our lord…?"

Jelall nodded, and leaned in close to Ghoul's face. "Yes, _our_ Lord," He repeated coolly. "Zeref is the one that created you, after all."

Ghoul shook his head, hissing as the Bind Snake grew tighter. "You're wrong," He spat. "Zeref want's me dead."

Jellal chuckled. "Oh? If he did, then why did he use his magic to resurrect the body of a dead child? And why did that child grow up to be… you?"

Ghoul started to hyperventilate, and started mumbling words. "Nine hundred ninety three… nine hundred eighty six… nine hundred seventy nine… nine hundred seventy two…"

Jellal watched this, as he slowly but surely grew more in control of yourself. He was slightly impressed; the method of calming himself was an old way of torturing someone, forcing them to count backwards from one thousand by seven to help the victim keep his sanity. Apparently Ghoul had found a new use for it; meditating.

That, or he had no idea if he was saying anything.

"I don't know," Ghoul finally whispered, and a tear fell out of his human eye. "I- I don't know anything anymore."

A smirk formed on Jelall's face. "Then how about I tell you?"

Ghoul looked into his eyes, his own glinting with distrust. "Go on…" He whispered, and relaxed his body, showing Jellal he had no intention of fighting as his tentacles dispersed into nothing.

Jellal had to bite back yet another smirk. _'Change of plans,'_ He thought, then spoke.

"I intend for you to devour the body of Era Scarlet, and with her endless amount of Magic energy, I finally power The Tower of Heaven. But the Aetherion will destroy your body, and the Lacrima will absorb it, and your flesh will become the new body of Lord Zeref."

Ghoul looked up at him, his cold brown eyes filled with hatred. "You're insane," He spat.

Jelall merely shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not." He leaned in to Ghoul's ear and whispered, "But I'm much, much more insane than you."

Ghoul gritted his teeth as a vein formed on his forehead. Jellal's eyes widened as the Bind Snake flickered, then fell off into the creature's hand. Ghoul then swallowed the spell whole, and his crimson tentacles appeared yet again, formed in a scorpion-like pose, and aimed directly at Jellal.

"Let's test that theory, shall we?"

* * *

 **Give our Prayers to the Sacred Light!**

 ** _And it's made its home inside._**

* * *

The man sighed as he gazed into the Seer-Lacrima.

"The kid's getting more powerful, I'll give him that," A raspy voice commented.

The man turned to see another, with white hair styled in a long and spiky fashion. He was wearing black cargo pants and combat boots. His chest was bare, showing off his bright blue tatoos and various scars. His eyes were a flaming saphire, and his teeth were jagged. On his back were large ebony dragon wings, neatly disguised by a long, ragged cloak.

"Acnologia," The man said calmly. "Why are you here? Our contract is over."

Acnologia sighed. "I know, I know. I just wanted to see what the little brat was doing." The Apocolypse Dragon stared into the Seer-Lacrima, gazing down at the face of Kaneki Ghoul, who was speaking to Jellal Fernandes, a puppet of Ultear.

The man studied Acnologia. The Death Dragon's face was impassive, and holding his signature sneer, but his eyes betrayed him. They were glistening with pride for the child, the very child he had once raised, in another life.

"He will remember one day," The man whispered.

Acnologia looked the man into the eyes, his own sapphire shining sadly. "I know he will. He is my son, after all."

They both looked into the Lacrima for a few more moments, until the man spoke. "Why give him up?"

Acnologia looked up sharply, taken aback by the sudden question. "Why give him up when you could have taken him in permanently? I know you care for him."

Acnologia let out a dry sigh, which soon ended in a small chuckle. "Could you imagine the hilarity? Acnoglogia, Dragon of the Apocolypse, caring for a human? No; Ko would never have a pleasant life because of it. He would either end up enjoying his curse, or he would suspend himself in a Lacrima until the end of times."

He shook his head. "No; that is not the life I want for my son."

The man sighed and looked away from the Lacrima. "I know you hate me for doing this to him, but I have no other choice. In order for FALLEN to be resurrected, you must kill him. There is no other way."

Acnologia looked the man full in the eyes, hatred burning inside their sapphire color. "No other way, huh?" He whispered. The Death Dragon stood and turned to leave. Moments before he did, he turned his head back to the man.

"There will always be a choice, Zeref. You may believe you made the right one, all those nine hundred years ago, but FALLEN will disagree. As will END."

Zeref gripped his fists in anger. "They will understand when we are together. They will."

Acnologia gazed at the Dark Wizard sadly, before turning once more. He unfurled his wings and took off into the night sky, soon nothing more than a speck in the darkness. But his whisper somehow reached Zeref, who stiffened when he heard the words.

"You may tell yourself that, but in the end, they will see themselves as nothing more than monsters."

* * *

 **Give our Prayers to the Sacred Light!**

 ** _If I told you what I was,_**

* * *

Jellal merely chuckled, startling Kaneki, who's anger faltered for a second. What the hell gives this guy the nerve to be so amused?

"Oh, it's more than a theory, Ghoul," Jelall said after he regained his composure. "It is the honest truth."

Kaneki bared his teeth in an animalistic snarl. "Like hell I'd believe that," He growled. "You're nothing but a psycho."

Jelall chuckled again. "Oh? And what does that make you?" He leaned in, not minding the razor sharp tentacles that bristled in warning. "I bet it's hard to know that you eat humans," The bluenett breathed. "And those years you don't remember? That must pain you most of all."

Kaneki's eyes went wide with horror. "H-How do you know that?!" He whispered and he felt his Kagune withdrawing in shock.

Jelall smirked, and stood upright. "Lord Zeref created you; Of course he watches you." He said simply. "And that task turns to me, his disciple."

Kaneki buried his shock underneath anger and tsked. "Well, do you know what that makes you?"

Jelall cocked his head, curious for what Kaneki was about to say. "A STALKER!" Kaneki roared, and punched the Mage in the face.

Jellal was flung backwards several feet, and something told Kaneki it was only because he caught the mage off guard. Jellal wouldn't fall for something like that again.

 _'Hey Akuma? Some help would be nice!'_ He called, reaching out his consciousness to the Link, only to find emptiness. Kaneki started to panic, but he forced himself to calm down. _'Akuma?'_ He called again, desperate to hear his Link, but no familiar presence enveloped him; no voice answered him.

He was alone.

A chuckle sounded from the direction Jellal had landed, and Kaneki turned to face the Mage. "Can't hear him, can you?" Jellal asked, a smirk on his face and an insane glint in his eyes. "The Tower of Heaven is a giant Lacrima! You are surrounded by your one weakness."

He stood up and dusted himself off, and his right eye changed into Zeref's mark. Magical power surrounded him, and Kaneki's eyes grew wide. "No one will hear you…" Jellal whispered, and a Lacrima appeared behind Kaneki, large enough to hold him.

Kaneki readied his Kagune, placed them in the scorpion like pose he favored, and prepared to fight the Mage.

"…when you're dead!" The Mage then charged, and Kaneki, caught off guard, was pushed back inside the Lacrima, and Jellal smirked when he let out an inhuman scream, then fell silent.

"You will understand one day, Kaneki," Jellal whispered. "Why our Lord must be obeyed… And why you were created for this exact purpose."

He chuckled, and sighed, gazing at Kaneki's closed eyes. "It must hurt to know your entire life… was for nothing."

* * *

 **Give our Prayers to the Sacred Light!**

 ** _Would you turn your back on me?_**

* * *

Erza glared at Jellal. "What is your true goal?" She demanded. She was sitting on top of him, her katana at his throat. Jellal gritted his teeth and continued to glare up at her. "The R-System's actually incomplete, right?" She went on. "I wasn't just biding my time these past eight years. I researched the R-System."

She gripped her katana tighter, pressing it further into the hem of Jellal's hood. "It's true that the construction and theory went according to plan, however," She continued, "You're still missing a key element to complete the R-System."

Jellal sighed. "I already told you; you're the sacrifice," He said.

"I don't believe that shit," Erza responded. Jellal's smirk faded, and a part of him wondered; Did Ghoul tell her what he was? As soon as the thought crossed his mind, however, he dismissed it. The creature was programmed to tell no-one.

"You're lacking… magical power." Erza spat, drawing Jellal back to reality.

"To activate such a large-scale spell, you need an enormous amount of magical power," She continued. "You might not even have enough if you gathered every mage on the continent. It's impossible for this tower to accumulate that amount of magic, let alone a single person."

Jellal smirked. "What if that person wasn't human?"

Erza stiffened. "What?"

The Heavenly Bodied Mage laughed. "It is true; A mere human cannot even fathom to absorb such an amount of magical power from a raw energy source..." He paused, then a sinister grin spread across his face, contorting his lips into the smile Erza despised. "…but not if the creature absorbed it from others."

Erza jammed her blade down, pushing it into the mortar and drawing a thin line of blood across Jellal's cheek. "I never thought you'd lower yourself to become such a monster, Jellal," She spat.

This only brought a chuckle from the already smiling Mage. "Oh, you've done it now," He giggled. "He feared being called that since he was born, but now you've gone and said it!" His hands started to glow, and a Lacrima started to push itself up from the ground.

"No; I'm not the only monster in this room."

Erza's eyes widened as she stared at the person trapped inside the Lacrima. "Oni… chan…"

"Kaneki Ghoul is one as well."

* * *

 **Give our Prayers to the Sacred Light!**

 ** _And if I seem dangerous,_**

* * *

"Aetherion's final charging phase is complete!"

A large, diamond shaped Lacrima was glowing brightly, humming with magical energy.

"Satteline Square is expanding!"

"No abnormalities in the transfer Lacrima."

Magical circles swirled, held several feet from magnificent marble statues. A large, black orb was in the center, and the energy inside seemed to charge the very air itself.

"Coodinates locked!"

"No signs of rejection from elemental fusion."

"Begin countdown."

"Let us pray," Faust said. The other Council members bowed their heads, all solemn at the horrendous act they were about to commit.

"Let us pray." Others repeated.

"Let us pray." Ultear said.

"Let us pray." Seigrain added.

Yajima glared at them suspiciously. He knew something was up; he was certain of it. But what?

Suddenly, the Lacrima shone like the sun, and it expanded in a huge orb, which fired upwards in a huge beam…

And straight down onto the Tower of Heaven.

* * *

 **Give our Prayers to the Sacred Light!**

 ** _Would you be scared?_**

* * *

"What's that bright light?!" Lucy whimpered. "Gotta be the Etherion!" Wally replied, and all looked up at the cloudy dark sky in absolute fear.

"Oh crap…" Happy whispered, tears in his eyes as he clutched the rail of the life boat. "Come on you guys! Hurry up and get out of there now!"

Suddenly, a beam of white light struck the Tower with deadly precision. "Natsu! Erza!" Gray screamed, but none could hear him over the roar of Etherion's impact.

"I blew it…" Simon whispered inside a room of the Tower, sitting against a wall, face angled upwards. "We didn't make it in time."

Natsu was bolting up the stairs three at a time, and when the Tower seemed to shake to it's very core, did he scream. "ERZA!"

* * *

 **Give our Prayers to the Sacred Light!**

 ** _I get the feeling just because,_**

* * *

Erza stared at Kaneki, suspended in the Lacrima. "How- why-" She sputtered, but Jellel merely laughed.

"Do you know how I was going to sacrifice you?" When Erza didn't reply, Jellal continued, gazing up at her shocked face. "I was going to feed you to the Child of Zeref – Kaneki Ghoul."

Erza's eyes widened even more as she stared down at him. Then she gripped her katana even more tightly, threatening to break the handle. "Explain," She growled, eyes full of hatred.

Jellal grinned. "Kaneki's original form had long since died inside the Lacrima the Masters had totured him inside, but Zeref recognized the child's potential and used his magic to resurrect him as a Man eating creature known as a Ghoul. To this day, he is the only one in existence. Only Zeref, I, you and a few select fools at your precious Guild know the full truth about Kaneki."

Erza started to tremble, and her blade shook. "But – But what is he?" She whispered, and she looked almost afraid to know the answer.

Jellal smirked. This was the moment he had been waiting for ever since she stepped onto the Tower, and Kaneki was imprisoned inside the Holding Lacrima.

"Kaneki Ghoul was never supposed to have a consciousness. Zeref never intended for such a thing to happen, but I believe that meeting you aroused memories from his past life, giving him a mind and free will.

"Of course, he always knew what he was. He also knew it was… unnatural, to have a thirst for human flesh. The desire to eat… the desire to kill."

Erza shook her head, tears falling one by one. "I don't believe that," She whispered. "Kaneki… isn't that type of person."

Jellal raised an eyebrow. "Then who is? Natsu Dragneel? Jose of Phantom? The Magic Council?" He lifted his head up, looking her full in the eyes. "Tell me… Have you ever seen him eat human food?"

Erza stiffened, then slowly shook her head. "No…" Before Jellal could say a word, she added, "But that proves nothing!"

The Mage merely chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "Are you sure?" He taunted. "Kaneki cannot consume any food humans can – It acts as poison to him. He has no choice but to eat human fle-"

Erza punched him in the face, her form quivering in anger. "I don't want to hear anymore of your bullshit," She snarled, her eyes gleaming in satisfaction at his broken nose.

Jellal turned his head and spit out a wad of blood, then turned his eyes back to her. "Bullshit?" He shook his head, and the Tower started to tremble, and the air itself seemed to glow. "I don't believe you understand, Erza."

The Lacrima holding Kaneki quivered like water, then it cracked, and a wave of fear washed over Erza.

"I am speaking… nothing but the truth," Jellal continued, and his hands glowed with magical energy. The world seemed to stop, and a small ringing noise sounded in Erza's ears, and then time seemed to resume, and as the Tower shifted and groaned, Erza realized too late.

Jellal gave her an insane smile. "Boom."

* * *

 **Give our Prayers to the Sacred Light!**

 ** _Everything I touch isn't dark enough,_**

* * *

They all stared at where the Tower of Heaven once stood. "It can't be!" Lucy cried.

"Natsu… Erza…" Happy whispered, tears forming on his blue fur.

But… it wasn't gone. When the smoke cleared, the moon reflected on an object. A bright blue, jagged object that thrived with magical power.

Their eyes widened when they realized what it was. "It's… a giant Lacrima…" Gray breathed, staring at the huge structure in utter shock.

"Hey…" Lucy said, still staring at the magnificent structure. "Natsu, Erza and Simon are okay – Right?"

No one said a word, because no one knew the answer.

"Ouch…" Natsu muttered, and shakily stood to his feet. He rubbed his eyes, trying to dispel the dark spots that the Light had given him, and he glanced around, shocked to find his surroundings had utterly changed.

"What's… going on?"

"Aetherion fired," Simon said calmly from his position. He slowly stood to his full height and gazed down at his hands. "But if so… why am I still alive?"

* * *

 **Give our Prayers to the Sacred Light!**

 _ **That this problem lies in me!**_

* * *

Erza stood shakily to her feet, looking up straight into the eyes of Kaneki, who was crouched before her, his eyes cold and unseeing.

"Ka- Kaneki?" She said quietly, and reached her hand to caress his face, only to snatch it back when he lunged for her fingers, mouth wide open.

Her eyes widened in fear as he stood to his full height and his tenta- no, Kagune extended, their dark crimson color sinister in the Lacrima's artificial light.

His clothes were torn and dirty, and his eyes gleamed with madness as he gazed down at her, a thin line of drool falling out of his mouth and onto the floor close to Erza's hand, causing her to flinch.

Laughter sounded to her left, and Erza turned her head to see Jellal, standing with his arms raised to the heavens and an insane gleam in his eyes. "Finally… finally, the time has come…"

Erza's eyes widened, and she shakily stood to her feet, forgetting Kaneki's presence for a mere moment. "You…"

"Behold, the true form of the Tower of Heaven!" He exclaimed. "It is a huge Lacrima," He added bluntly. "And thanks to the Magic Council firing Aetherion, the Tower now has enough magical power."

"And now… behold! The resurrection of Lord Zeref!"

Kaneki's head tilted to the side. It would have been cute, had he not have a psychopathic look on his face. "Ze…ref…" He whispered, and his hands started to tremble. "Zer-ref…"

Suddenly, his body contorted in pain, but no scream came out, just the repeating word. "Zerefzerefzerefzerefzerefzerefzerefzerefzerefzerefzerefzerefzeref…"

And then he stopped and turned to look Jellal in the eyes, his Kagune starting to shift and change, and a black mist surrounded his face. In a few moments, both Jellal and Erza were staring at him in horror.

Kaneki's Kagune now resembled that of an insect, and only four branched from his back; the fifth had retreated during the transformation. A long, claw shaped mask adorned his face, and his human eye seemed to have rolled up inside his head, leaving only his demonic one for show.

His face was contorted in a psychopathic grin, and his mouth creaked as it opened, revealing nothing but a black emptiness.

"She's telling me to kill you, you know," He giggled. His Kagune sped towards Erza, who jumped out of the way, and landed next to Jellal, who was staring at Kaneki in horror. 'I never expected this…'

"She wants you dead. She wants me to eat you," He continued, giggling towards the end. He brought his hand in front of his face and cracked it, causing Jellal and Erza to jump.

"But do you know what I think?"

Suddenly, Kaneki was right next to Jellal, who turned to face the Ghoul, but he was too late. Kaneki's Kagune moved at lightning speed and skewered the Mage in the stomach, nearly cleaving him in half.

As Erza took a step back, eyes wide with terror, Kaneki turned to face her and cracked his finger again. As his Kagune moved to shake off the blood Jellal left on them, Kaneki opened his mouth again.

"I think she is right."

* * *

 **Give our Prayers to the Sacred Light!**

 _ **I'm only a man with a candle to guide me,**_

* * *

"This is… The R-System?" Lucy gaped, staring at the Lacrima in wonder.

"Yeah, it's the true form of the Tower we built," Wally said. "And now it's operational."

Lucy turned to face him, terror in her eyes. "Operational?" She repeated. "Is Zeref going to be resurrected?!"

"I don't know," Sho said. Gray turned to face the Card Magic Mage. "This is the first time we've seen it working," He continued.

"Natsu and Erza are in there?" Gray asked.

Milliana nodded grimly. "Nya… Simon, and Jellal, too."

"Don't forget the Cannibal," Wally added quietly.

"Who the hell are you talking about?" Gray exclaimed, fed up with their vagueness over the topic.

Lucy trembled. "Kaneki…" Gray turned to face her, and he was shocked to see she was crying. "Kaneki… he eats humans, doesn't he?"

Sho, Milliana and Wally each exchanged a glance. "Doesn't he!" Lucy screamed, turning to face them.

Milliana bit her lip, and nodded slowly. "Yeah… Kaneki Ghoul is just that. A ghoul."

Gray frowned. "A what…?"

"Juvia has heard of these creaturs, Gray-sama," Juvia said, surprising everyone with her interjection. "In the folktales of Juvia's homeland, Ghouls are demons that when they eat a human, take on their appearance and stalk to find their next victim."

Gray went pale at that, and he squeaked, "So he only joined Fairy Tail to eat us?"

Lucy shook her head. "No… He loves it there. He loves having a family, Gray. He doesn't seem like he'd ever want to hurt any of us."

Gray snorted. "Like hell that's even possible," He retorted. "The guy eats humans, for crying out loud!"

"And yet he hates his very life because of it." Happy whispered. He turned and looked up at everyone, determination shining in his brown eyes. "I don't know about you guys, but until Kaneki proves himself otherwise, he's apart of Fairy Tail, and he's gonna stay unil the Master says otherwise."

Gray sighed. "The Old man already knows," He said. Lucy blinked in surprise. "What?"

The Ice Make Mage nodded. "Yeah; haven't you noticed how Kaneki will slip into the basement and lock the door behind him? And before that, Makarov gives him the keys. I think Kaneki told Makarov the truth about himself long before he joined the Guild."

"So, if that's true, shouldn't Erza know?" Happy asked.

Sho shook his head. "No. Sister never knew about Kaneki's true nature; for one, he was programmed to tell no one, and she was only a bit older than me at the time, so-"

Wally clamped a hand over Sho's mouth, earning a glare. "Saved you from a crazy rant," He muttered, then added in a louder voice, "Like Sho tried to say, Erza was only a few years younger than Kaneki at the time, and even then, Kaneki didn't know what he really was."

"No-one does," Milliana added. "He's the first of his kind; A human child resurrected by Zeref to power the Tower of Heaven."

Lucy blinked, and Gray crossed his arms. "What do you mean power?" He asked slowly.

Milliana sighed. "Simon-san knows this better than I do," She murmered, then said, "When Kaneki eats someone, he absorbs they're magical energy, nya? And then that energy powered the Tower of Heaven."

Sho shuddered. "We lost so many friends to him, and he never even realized what he was eating…"

Lucy and Gray exchanged a long glance, seemingly having a private conversation that sparked jealously in Juvia. _'She's trying to win over my beloved Gray-sama!'_ She inwardly cried. _'She is my rival!'_

Gray let out a long sigh, then turned to Juvia. "Take us closer to the Tower," He ordered. The others let out startled gasps.

"No! You can't go near there!" Wally exclaimed.  
"Nya! You'll die!" Milianna cried.

"Jellal will kill you!" Sho yelled.

"So?" Lucy retorted, turning to face them. "Kaneki is part of Fairy Tail, and like it or not, he's part of our family. So if he dies, no one's gonna like it, even if he is what you guys say he is."

Gray nodded. "We're getting them all back home safe, even if we nearly die in the process."

Juvia's eyes shone with tears. _'My beloved is so handsome when he gives rousing speeches!'_ She squealed.

Before anyone could say anything, they heard a loud, animalistic roar, and bright flames shot from the top of the Lacrima.

Their eyes widened as they realized who it was.

"Natsu…"

* * *

 **Give our Prayers to the Sacred Light!**

 _ **I'm taking a stand to escape what's inside me!**_

* * *

Erza took a step back from Kaneki, who had turned away from her and was looking around their surroundings. He growled at the larger sized Lacrima's' and smashed them into pebbles. A few moments later, he giggled again and turned to face the Re-Quip Mage, who was quivering in fear.

"I'm never going to be trapped again~!" He said in a sing-song voice. He looked Erza in the eyes, and cocked his head to one side slightly. He lifted his hand in front of his face again, and cracked his index finger.

"Do you like being trapped?" He asked her. Erza made no move to answer; she was too petrified to even think straight. _'This monster… is my older brother…_ ' Was the only thing running through her head.

Kaneki giggled, and his Kagune shifted, suspended far from his back in what Erza could tell was a relaxed pose. "I hate being trapped inside my head with her," He continued, and his tone adopted a more serious approach. "She hates me, you know. She's trapped inside my head with him and me, and they can't ever get out."

He cracked his finger again, and his Kagune seemed to grow larger, and his mask seemed to become part of his face. "She's always trying to get me to eat all of them. But I always say no. But now…"

His Kagune shot towards her, and Erza didn't even have enough time to lift her katana before one of his tentacles skewered her in the leg, the other inches from her stomach and another trimming her hair only slightly.

"…now I see what an idiot I am, for not eating them. I'm hungry, after all. And aren't humans supposed to eat when they get hungry?"

A shit-eating grin formed on his face, and it was more sinister than Jellal's. Erza flinched as his Kagune pressed closer towards her, and she looked into his eyes, desperate to get away, to live through this nightmare. To bring her older brother back and cuddle in his arms, to feel safe with his Kagune wrapped around her.

And then she knew what she had to do. Taking a deep breath, Erza lifted her head up, ignoring the dribble of blood falling from her mouth, and the pain in her leg.

"A human, maybe," She said. "But you aren't a human. You're a monster."

Kaneki's grin faltered, and his mask started to crumble. "Er… za…" He whispered. His human eye came back into focus, and as his mask fell to pieces, he finally realized where he was, and what he had done.

His eyes first went to Jellal, who was bleeding out on the ground close by, and then to Erza, who had been seconds away from being ripped in half.

Kaneki's eyes widened and he forced his Kagune away, then ripped off his cloak, exposing his various scars and magic circle. He dashed towards her and wrapped the cloth around the Kagune in her leg. Without warning, he ripped his tentacle out, and Erza let out a yelp of pain.

As he wrapped her wound, tears started to fall down his face. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" He whispered, over and over again, until he was hunched into a ball, weeping.

Erza stared at him, and a voice invaded her thoughts. **_"Your choice will either destroy or save Fairy Tail,"_** It whispered. **_"Make your choice, Tatania Erza."_**

Erza hesitated, then nodded her head slightly. "I forgive you," She whispered to Kaneki, whose head shot up, eyes wide with shock. She gave him a kind, welcoming smile, and extended her hand towards him. "Let's go home."

Kaneki stared at her, and then a small smile spread across his face. He nodded, and took her hand. "Yeah."

* * *

 **Give our Prayers to the Sacred Light!**

 ** _A monster, a monster, I've turned into a monster!_**

* * *

 **Next time on Fairy Tail!**

Natsu arrives on scene, as does Simon! Jellal somehow heals himself, but at what cost? And what will Fairy Tail do when they learn the truth about one of their strongest members? Find out next time on: Titania Falls!

* * *

 _ **A monster, a monster-**_

 ** _And it keeps getting stronger!_**

* * *

 **[EDIT - Added disclaimer. Didn't see any typos; you see any?]**

 **O.O Woah. Longest yet.**

 **Okay, so I want 60 reviews until the next update! [I have at least 70 followers. Come on, guys! Not so hard to review and tell me what you think!]**

 **Oh, and don't expect me to end the story here. HELL NO. This story ends - well, probably never! XD**


	10. Titania Falls!

**Alright! So! I know I said in the first chapter that Kaneki was going to be paired with an OC, but it shows that he's gonna be paired with Touka now.**

 **So, that was Gaaji's doing. Of course, she somehow got her hands on my tablet [My reaction to this was very funny, she says. She's laughing over my shoulder as I speak] and typed up the AN on the bottom of the chapter. In fact, each AN on the bottom are from her!**

 **[And now she's laughing even harder. WAIT, WAS THAT THE FOURTH WALL?! INSURANCE! INSURAN-]**

 _Error. Transmission was unable to cut through due to many objects breaking and curse words uttered. Please read the chapter while we are on hold._

* * *

 **I don't own this fandom. Shame, though; I sure wish I did.**

* * *

 **Last time on Fairy Tail!**

* * *

 _Kaneki's eyes widened and he forced his Kagune away, then ripped off his cloak, exposing his various scars and magic circle. He dashed towards her and wrapped the cloth around the Kagune in her leg. Without warning, he ripped his tentacle out, and Erza let out a yelp of pain._

 _As he wrapped her wound, tears started to fall down his face. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" He whispered, over and over again, until he was hunched into a ball, weeping._

 _Erza stared at him, and a voice invaded her thoughts._ **"Your choice will either destroy or save Fairy Tail,"** _It whispered._ **"Make your choice, Tatania Erza."**

 _Erza hesitated, then nodded her head slightly. "I forgive you," She whispered to Kaneki, whose head shot up, eyes wide with shock. She gave him a kind, welcoming smile, and extended her hand towards him. "Let's go home."_

 _Kaneki stared at her, and then a small smile spread across his face. He nodded, and took her hand. "Yeah."_

* * *

 **Titania Falls!**

* * *

Kaneki wiped the tears from his face, and huddled into a small ball, trying to be as insignificant and invisible as possible.

"Kaneki."

The half-human looked up into the eyes of his younger sister, whose eyes were hard, yet gentle in an impossible way. "Why… why didn't you tell me?"

Kaneki let out a snort and slowly relaxed, covering his kakugan with his hand. "It's the same with you never telling anyone your past, except mine needs to stay buried."

He looked her in the eyes, and for the first time, Erza realized how truly broken he was. "I… I hate myself, Erza. I hate my body, my face, my magic- I hate everything. I hate Zeref, I hate-"

"You hate meeting me, then?" Her voice was cold, and it caused him to flinch. "You hate joining the Guild and becoming a part of our team?"

A tear slid down his face, and Kaneki quickly brushed it away. "N-no…" He took in a deep, long breath, seemingly calming himself down and gaining courage at the same time. "I love you, Erza, and I love Fairy Tail. Nothing is ever going to change that."

He started to tremble, and he brought his hands in front of his hands, staring at them with dead eyes. After a few minutes, a smile formed on his face, and he whispered, "You humans are so lucky. You aren't faced with the same thing over and over every day when you see a kind, loving face, a family or an old homeless man. You just pass them by and go on with your lives."

He looked her in the eyes, and Erza felt unrelenting sympathy well up inside of her for her older brother. "I…" He sucked in another deep breath, and Erza knew that talking about this, for Kaneki to spill his secret was agonizing, after keeping it hidden for so long.

"Whenever I walk down the street, I look at those happy, smiling faces, and I can't help but wonder… Which one will die, because of me." He ended in a whisper, and Erza couldn't take it anymore. Moving slowly, she sat down next to him and pulled him into a warm embrace. Kaneki stiffened and pulled away. "Why are you doing this?" He screamed. "Why… why are you acting as if nothing as wrong? As if I'm not a monster?!"

Erza shook her head, and reached out her hands, wiping the tears from his face the same way he had to her, all those years ago. "Because you aren't, Kaneki," She whispered. "You are my older brother; you are a Mage of Fairy Tail. You're part of our family, and our team."

She gave him a grin that would rival Natsu's and said, "And family sticks together, no matter what."

A low chuckle sounded behind them, and they froze. They knew that voice.

"How pathetically touching," Jellal sneered as he shakily pulled himself to his feet. His wound was gushing blood, and Kaneki instantly knew that Jellal was already dead. He was nothing more than a puppet of Zeref.

The half-human bit his lip and stood to his feet, facing the Mage. "What do you want, Jellal?" He asked in his calm, deadly way.

The Heavenly Bodied Mage sneered. "I wanted Lord Zeref to be resurrected, and for my lifelong dream to be fulfilled." He coughed into his sleeve, and red flecks checkered his arm. It was blood. Jellal sighed as if it was unimportant, and the Mage's hands started to glow.

"But... I guess I'll have to settle with seeing the both of you dead."

A huge, swirling blast came at them full force, and neither had any time to react. Acting purely on instinct, Kaneki unleashed his Kagune and pushed Erza out of the way, then turned towards the blast and prepared to absorb it.

Seconds before he was hit, a large orange blast hit the energy wave Jellal had sent, dispersing the magic.

There, mere inches in front of Kaneki, was Natsu Dragneel with a determined look on his face as he glared at Jellal.

"Now, I have no idea what the heck is going on," Natsu said as he rammed his fists together, and embers started to swirl around him. "But I do know that you made my friends cry…"

His fists lit up with orange fire, causing Kaneki to step back and away from the searing heat.

"And no one hurts any of my friends!" He roared, and charged towards Jellal, whose eyes widened. Natsu punched the Mage square in the face, and Jellal was sent flying into a large Lacrima, one of the only ones that Kaneki hadn't been able to smash earlier.

Jellal shakily stood to his feet, then eyed the Lacrima with a large smirk. Kaneki's eyes widened as Jellal thrust his hand inside the magical container, chanting strange and ancient words.

Every fiber of Kaneki's being screamed at him to run, to fight, to do something, but he couldn't. Whatever was happening to him… it made it impossible to move, to even think through the rampaging swirl of instincts he had long suppressed with Akuma's help. But now they were unleashed, wreaking havoc onto his mental state and giving Rize the upper hand as her chains lengthened, and she cackled insanely.

 _Ah… time to have a little fun,_ She purred, and walked towards the metal chair, her Kagune forming as blood covered the ground where she stepped.

"I… won't... let… you…" Kaneki gasped out through gritted teeth, not realizing it had been said in reality. Jellal smirked and pressed his hand farther into the Lacrima. Kaneki let out a roar of pain, and Erza stiffened when she saw the mask start to form again. Natsu was moving towards Jellal, fist afire and ready to attack again, but as the blood thirsty grin formed on Kaneki's face, Erza's eyes went wide with horror and she let out an ear piercing scream.

"Natsu… RUN!"

The Dragon Slayer stiffened with surprise, and he turned to face Erza, but one of Kaneki's insect like tentacles was thrust towards him, and Natsu barely escaped being impaled. Wasting no time, Natsu retreated back to Erza and picked her up bridal style. He retreated to a safe distance, then placed her down gently and turned towards Kaneki, who was writhing in pain and let out a strangled cry each time Jellal's hand went farther into the Lacrima. He was up to his elbow now, and the Mage was wincing here and there, but his eyes gleamed with undeniable satisfaction.

"Please… stop…" Kaneki whispered, and Natsu wouldn't have heard him had he not been a Dragon Slayer. He trembled with rage as he witnessed this… this inhumane torture. Kaneki was begging for mercy, and yet none had been received. Jellal didn't care for a single soul other than himself.

Natsu was going to hill him.

As the Dragon Slayer prepared a magic attack aimed towards Jellal in hopes of forcing the Mage's arm outside of the Lacrima, Erza grabbed his arm, shaking her head in a silent plea. "Don't kill him," She begged. "I know Jellal is a horrible person, but please – Don't kill him."

Natsu blinked at her in surprise. "Wha…?"

"Please!" Tears were falling freely now, tears she thought she had used. "Please… don't kill Jellal or Kaneki. Please, Natsu. Please…"

Natsu nodded slowly, then brought her into a tight hug. "I promise," He whispered, then shocked her as he rammed his fist into her stomach, and she fell to the ground, unconscious.

Jellal let out a small hiss of pain, and looked up at Natsu, blinking in surprise as he realized the Dragon Slayer had knocked the Re-Quip Mage out.

"Knocking out your own teammate?" He sneered, wincing slightly as the tips of his fingers started to dissolve. "That's just low."

Natsu glared at him, not disguising his hatred whatsoever. "No… letting a friend cry is!" He exclaimed, and turned to face Kaneki, who was still trembling from whatever transformation Jellal was forcing.

"And you! Kaneki!" Natsu roared. "Get up and fight! You say you're a Fairy Tail wizard; then fight! FIGHT!"

* * *

 **Titania Falls!**

* * *

The half-human vaguely knew that he should wake up, but soon the memory overtook him, enveloping him in darkness.

It was a battlefield, strewn with the bodies of dead humans. Dragons roared distantly in the blood red, smoke filled sky.

A man was standing in the center of the field, holding a small, black bundle of cloth. At first, Kaneki thought it was just a scarf, but as he was brought closer, he realized it was a baby. It couldn't have been more than a few months old, its hair only just beginning to show. Its eyes were closed in a peaceful, serene way.

The man himself had shaggy ebony hair, and his eyes were a dark grey that shined with sadness and power. He was wearing a simple black tunic, and a long white sash was pulled over his shoulder. On his feet were simple sandals, and even though he was standing in a river of blood, none seemed to touch him.

The man seemed to be waiting for someone, and sure enough, a large, majestic creature dove from the sky, landing in front of the man. It was a huge dragon, its colors a dark grey and blue that almost seemed to be black. Its maw was curved, unlike other dragons, and its tail had long, jagged spikes on them that were coated in dried blood.

The dragon then did the unthinkable; it shrank. In a few minutes, what had once been a magnificent killing machine was a man. The same man that Kaneki had seen raise Ko, in his visions.

 _"I entrust his well being to you, Acnologia. I expect him to be of full health and not crippled in any way."_ The mans said softly, gazing down at the baby with love in his eyes.

Acnologia grinned, exposing jagged teeth. _"Do scars count?"_ He joked.

The man chuckled, a smile on his face that didn't reach his eyes. _"As long as he does not lose his sight or any body parts, I shall be content,"_ He answered.

Acnologia nodded, and studied the small baby. _"What type of magic does he use?"_

The man looked up from the baby and into Acnologia's eyes. _"Curse magic, one of the most forbidden types of magic the humans call 'Dark,'"_ He answered.

Acnologia laughed as the baby opened his eyes and sneezed, a trickle of black flames shooting out of his nose. _"I'll enjoy keeping an eye on this runt,"_ He grinned, beaming down at the child. He turned towards the man, an oddly kind and sympathetic look on his face.

 _"What… what was the kid's name, before he…?"_

The man sighed, and touched his fingertips to the child's closed left eye, a small smile on his face. _"His name was-"_

Something drowned out his words, causing Kaneki to frown. He wanted to hear what the man was about to say, but he knew that voice… he did. But where…?

 **"And you!"** It yelled. **"Kaneki!"**

He knew that voice. He did; he was sure of it. He knew that voice. He did.

 **"Get up and fight!"**

Kaneki frowned. Fight? Fight what?

 **"You say you're a Fairy Tail wizard-"**

His eyes widened. Fairy Tail. He knew that.

Memories poured into him, shaking him out of the darkness he had surrounded himself in. Natsu. Natsu was the one that was speaking to him; Erza was the one who was in danger. Jellal was forcing him back into his true form, something none of them would survive.

 **"-then fight. _FIGHT_!"**

With a roar, Kaneki forced his consciousness to awaken, and with an ear piercing scream, he opened his eyes to find himself nearly transformed.

A malicious grin formed on his face, and Kaneki broke the mask away, watching as it fell to the ground and disintegrated into nothing. When it was gone, he turned to face Jellal, whose wound was still bleeding. The Heavenly Bodied Mage looked pale, and his hands trembled from the loss of blood. Kaneki's instincts told him that he would die, and very soon.

 **"Alright,"** He hissed, and Kaneki was surprised to hear that his voice still sounded like his centipede form. After close inspection, he realized his Kagune were still in their insect-like state, meaning he didn't have enough control over himself as he'd like. Ignoring his instincts, which were screaming at him to devour the humans near him, he continued speaking.

 **"Natsu, do you want to help me kick his ass?"**

Natsu grinned, happy to see Kaneki was back in his right mind. "Sure thing, Kaneki!" He exclaimed, and his fist lit up with orange fire as he stepped away from the unconscious Erza. "We're gonna make him sorry he ever pissed off Fairy Tail!"

Kaneki grinned. _'And he's gonna regret ever giving me this form,'_ He added silently. _'Because I'm going to turn him into human sushi.'_

In the back of his mind, where no words were hardly ever spoken, a soft, almost inaudible voice whispered, **_"I knew you could pull through, kid."_**

* * *

 **Titania Falls!**

* * *

They all stared up at the tower as fire shot out of the spires, and the faint glimmer of Kaneki's Kagune were barely visible. "I… I don't think they really need our help…" Lucy breathed, and glanced down at her key ring. "I don't think I have enough magical energy to keep going, anyways…"

Gray snorted. "What, already?" He looked Lucy straight in the eyes, causing Juvia to boil in jealousy. "Lucy, they're our comrades. We have to help them."

"You'll do no such thing."

They all whipped their heads to find who had spoken, and they stared, wide eyed, at a man with pure white hair done in a style similar to Gajeel's. His eyes were a glimmering sapphire, and he wore tan cargo pants and sandals like Natsu. He was bare-chested, revealing blue tattoos that matched the color of his eyes, and his skin was a dark tan. Around his neck laid a long, ragged black cloak that they all knew hid something important.

The most noticeable thing about him, however, was the fact that he was standing on the waves, and yet seemed impassive about it.

Wally was the first to speak. "How da hell are you standin' on water?!"

The man turned to the blockhead, seemingly surprised. "Can't all humans do it?"

"NO!"

He winced, as if their shouts hurt his sensitive ears. "Ah; Right. You are being suspended by the Rain Woman's magic. My apologies, but with a few more centuries, I believe you, Juvia Lockser, would be able to figure out my secret."

Juvia gazed at him with cold, impassive eyes. "Who are you?"

The man blinked in surprise. "He never told you?" Before they could answer, a look of sadness crossed over his face, and he sighed. "I keep forgetting he doesn't remember…" Turning back to face them, he said, "You cannot infiltrate the Tower of Heaven. His appearance is already shifting the timelines of all the worlds; it is a miracle the Apocalypse hasn't started already."

Lucy frowned as the man said 'Apocalypse.' His eyes glimmered as if it was a joke only he knew.

"What are you talking about?" Gray asked slowly, voicing the same question for them all.

The man sighed and dragged a hand across his face like Kaneki always did when he was frustrated. "Nothing of real importance," He said dryly. "Just the fact that you may never exist might concern you, won't it?"

Their eyes widened, and the man chuckled. "What… What do you…" Sho breathed, and they were all prepared to fight him, even they knew it was a very bad idea.

"What do I mean?" He turned to look Sho straight in the eyes, and the Card Mage was shocked to see his pupils were slits. Dragon-like slits. "If you barge in there, things could end… very badly."

"How badly?" Lucy asked, hand on her key rings as she prepared to defend her comrades.

"Acnologia-comes badly," He whispered, and they all stiffened. Acnologia? Dragon of the Apocalypse, coming here?!

"How do you know this?" Gray demanded. "And why is Acnologia coming!?"

The man snorted. "I said he'd come if you kids went inside the Tower – Though mark my words, he will appear sometime soon." He flashed them a cocky grin, and added, "So then, Fairy Tail… prepare yourselves, for a war is coming that will turn your most powerful ally against you."

With that ominous threat, he faded into nothing, leaving the rest of them sitting in Juvia's water barrier spell and wondering what the heck just happened.

* * *

 **Titania Falls!**

* * *

"I'm surprised," Jellal said as Kaneki bared his teeth in a snarl at the Heavenly Bodied Mage. "I thought you'd be insane right now."

Kaneki snorted and thrust his Kagune in front of him, trying to ignore the itching feeling on his face. **"Oh, that's the thing,"** He said, and charged Jellal, whose eyes went wide when he realized Kaneki was going to attack him. **"I'm already insane."**

Blood spurted out of Jellal's mouth as Kaneki shifted back into view again, his Kagune digging themselves into his stomach, again and again, pulling themselves out and then thrusting them back in, never stopping. Kaneki felt a sweet twinge of pleasure as blood gushed out of Jellal's wound. It was… pleasant.

Suddenly, he was punched in his lower back, and Kaneki let out a haunting screech when the heat seared his flesh. As he spun around, trying to face his attacker, he realized who it was. Natsu.

Kaneki stared at the Dragon Slayer in surprise as he raced over to Jellal and cauterized the Mage's wounds. Kaneki snarled, and his Kagune shifted positions once again. **"Why didn't you let me kill him?"** He asked. **"The world will be better off without him."**

Natsu nodded, and the flames on his hands flickered, then went out. "You're right," He agreed, and without warning, punched Kaneki straight in the face. "But that doesn't mean he has to die!"

The half-human was pushed back several feet, and his eyes went wide when he realized Natsu was his new enemy. He was trying to take his territory, eat his food!

Kaneki roared a challenge, and the mask started to form again. Natsu went pale, but he shook his head and rammed his fists together. "If you aren't gonna snap out of it, Kaneki," The Dragon Slayer said, and his hands lit with orange flames. "Then I'll just have to beat you into the ground."

Kaneki readied himself, but before he could, he heard it. A voice, in the back of his mind, screaming at him to stop. Two voices.

 ** _"KID!"_** Akuma roared, getting louder and louder by the second. **_"SNAP OUT OF IT, DAMMIT!"_**

"Rize is gonna break free!" Teiko exclaimed, and Kaneki got the vague sense that the Link was shaking his mindscape. "You've got to get a hold of yourself!"

Kaneki felt his mind get pulled into his mindscape, and he instantly knew what was going on. He was giving Rize exactly what she wanted; total control over him. He was… he was going to kill Natsu.

Natsu…

 _"Come on! I wanna go see the Dragons!"_ A little boy was running through a forest, two others running not so far behind him. The boy was laughing, his flaming red eyes set in a childlike pose of pure innocence.

Natsu…

 _"I don't think humans are bad. They're kinda cool!"_ He chirped to some other children, who looked shocked he'd say such a thing.

Natsu…

 _"Nee-san! Don't leave me!"_ He cried to a retreating black dragon in the sky, who was carrying something in it's large talons. He turned around to face his older brother, who looked sand beyond measure, and his hand started to glow, and the boy fell limp.

 _"Not this time…"_

"AAAUUUUUGGGGHHHHHHHH!"

With a roar, Kaneki snapped out of his trance and fought back Rize, impaling her several times before she was pushed back into the depths of his mind once again.

 ** _"-id! Kid! Kaneki, are you okay?!"_**

A smile formed on his lips; Akuma. His link was back. Standing shakily to his feet, Kaneki nodded. _'Yeah, I'm okay. You're too damn paranoid….'_

Akuma huffed. **_"Shuddap. I don't wanna hear your bullshit right now; you've gotta get your friends to safety."_**

Kaneki blinked. _'Say wha?'_

 ** _"The Tower of Heaven absorbed too much magical energy from Aetherion,"_** Akuma explained. **_"If I'm right, you only have three minutes to get yourselves off this hellhole."_**

Kaneki nodded and quickly left his mindscape to find Natsu shaking him by the shoulders and stiffen when he realized Kaneki was awake.

As the half-human stood shakily to his feet in the real world, Natsu took a few steps back and asked nervously, "You're not gonna skewer me… right?"

Kaneki shook his head and chuckled, wincing when it hurt a bruised rib Natsu had probably caused. "Nah. I'm good now," He said, and then remembered Akuma's warning. "Where's Erza?"

"I'm here," She called out weakly, and Kaneki was instantly by her side, ready to help her to her feet. As Kaneki felt himself fully leave his mindscape, he realized that they were both worn and ragged, blood caking their bodies and clothes, their forms shaking with weakness. It was going to be incredibly hard getting them all out of the Tower safely.

"We need to go, now," Kaneki said as Erza stood. They both looked at him in surprise, but before they could ask, the tower started to shake. After several seconds, the tremors threw them off their feet, and Kaneki quickly caught them both in his Kagune, not wanting them to sustain any more injury.

"The Tower is de-stabilizing!" He yelled over the noise, and inched his way closer to them. "It absorbed too much power from Aetherion, and it can't hold anymore!"

 _{Tick tock goes the clock, and you're running out of time!}_ A voice giggled, and Kaneki stiffened. He knew that voice.

 _{Awww, can't remember me, Ghoul?}_ It purred. _{Well, no matter. I'll just have to introduce myself again, when the time comes.}_

 _'Who are you? What the hell?! How in Gehenna are you in my head?!'_ Kaneki roared, but the voice didn't answer. It was like it had never been there to begin with.

"Damn," He hissed, shaking his head. Another rumble from the Tower brought him back to reality, and he leapt to his feet, picking Erza up in his Kagune and preparing himself to lend Natsu a hand as well.

"Come on! We have to go!" Kaneki yelled, but Natsu didn't move. "Simon's still in the Tower!" He exclaimed, face lit with panic. "I don't know where he is!"

Kaneki let out a string of curses and handed Erza to Natsu, who looked a little surprised at his package, and Erza was sputtering and blushing as she held cloth to the wound in her leg.

"Go!" Kaneki yelled to the Dragon Slayer. "Get Erza to safety!"

"What about you?!" Natsu exclaimed.

Kaneki paused, then gave Natsu a small smile. "I'm pretty resilient," He joked, and the Tower rumbled again, and debris started to fall from the ceiling. "GO!" Kaneki roared, and Natsu yelled, "Don't you dare die on me, Kaneki!" as his body was encased in orange fire, and he jumped off the Tower, plunging towards the ocean below with Erza in his arms.

The half-human smiled slightly, and he turned towards Jellal, who was barely breathing. "I'm not making any promises," Kaneki whispered, and placed a large protective barrier around him.

He turned towards a huge, untouched Lacrima, and exhaled slowly and deeply. Tears started to fall down his face, and he made no move to wipe them away.

"I'm sorry," He whispered, eyes held towards the night sky. "But I don't think Fairy Tail needs me…"

He inhaled sharply, and closed his eyes as he reached a hand out towards the Lacrima. It accepted him without hesitation, and Kaneki let out a hiss of pain as the magic energy inside of it tried to force itself inside of him.

His elbow was already inside when a voice shouted, "Kaneki!" The half-human turned to see Simon. He didn't look as bad as the others, but it seemed obvious that his magic energy was badly depleted. Kaneki was wary of him; this was one of the humans who kidnapped Erza and plotted to stick him back in a Lacrima, after all.

Simon was breathing hard; evidently, he had raced to get here before the half-human was fully absorbed by the Lacrima. "Kaneki – You can't die," He gasped out. "You have no idea… what type of influence you've already made on this world."

Kaneki turned to face him, his arm slowly edging itself out of the Lacrima. "What do you mean?"

Simon chuckled. "I'm saying that if you die… look, this world, Earth Land – It's not the only one. There are two others – Edolas and Earth, one where magic is running out, and another where magic never existed. The three of them form a perfect balance, and have for thousands of years."

"But when you were born… The worlds decided that you were far too powerful to live in Earth, so they broke your soul into three pieces; One that was born in Edolas, one that was born in Earth, and the third, which is you."

Kaneki couldn't believe it. But then again… it made sense. All his life, he felt like he was missing something; something important. Turns out, it was himself.

"Simon… why are you telling me this?" Kaneki asked. "Why now, of all times?"

"Because you cannot die," Simon said simply. "In each timeline, you were never supposed to exist. Hell, you were never supposed to exist in the first place, but…"

"Here I am," Kaneki finished dryly. Simon nodded, and the Tower chose that moment to shake again, nearly throwing the Mage to the ground, but Kaneki wrapped a Kagune around his waist, keeping sure Simon stayed upright.

"Kaneki! No matter what, you have to make sure they never figure out-" Simon yelled, but was cut off when the entire Tower itself started to collapse into the ground. Kaneki's eyes widned, and he pushed himself into the Lacrima even faster, desperate to save his friends.

Suddenly, Simon was right next to him, breathing down his neck as he whispered, "That you are a Slayer."

And Kaneki let out a scream as the Mage fell down a fissure in the floor, eyes closed and mouth curled in the epitome of peace.

Kaneki gritted his teeth, then let out a gut wrenching roar and as he was sucked completely inside the Lacrima, as he felt himself dissolve, and his sanity fade, his last conscious thought was, _'I will save them.'_

And then the Tower exploded.

* * *

 **Titania Falls!**

* * *

"Who… who the hell was that?" Lucy whispered as she stared at the place where the man had vanished.

"I have no clue," Gray said, then turned to face the others. "You guys got any idea?"

Wally shrugged. "Other 'dan da fact dat he said Acnologia was gonna come if we went inside da Tower… nope, I got nothun."

Milliana shook her head. "Nya. He didn't seem human at all."

Sho nodded. "Yeah. His pupils – they were slits, like a snake."

Miliana pouted. "How come it's never a cat…"

Happy gulped and tore his eyes away from the place where the man disappeared. "I think he's working for someone," The blue cat said after a moment. They all looked down at him in surprise, and the cat pressed on. "He seemed… sad about it, and remember when he said, 'He didn't tell you?' He knows someone here; could be anyone."

"But he did say that the person forgot about him," Lucy pointed out as she slowly connected the dots. "But… who could it be?"

Gray's eyes widened as he realized. "Kaneki…" He whispered, then facing them, said, "Its Kaneki, I'm sure of it."

Juvia frowned. "But why would Kaneki-kun not tell us?"

Lucy sighed and fingered her silver key, Crux. "I – I could ask and find out," She offered.

Gray shook his head. "No, save your magic for a fight. We have no idea when one of your spirits might come in handy."

Lucy nodded and turned to face Juvia. "Juvia, can you please-" But she was cut off from a powerful wave that hit the water barrier, sending it flying once again.

Lucy's eyes widened as a huge mass of fire fell from the top of the Tower, aimed towards the ocean.

"JUVIA!" Gray yelled, and the Rain Woman nodded as she sent the sphere spiraling towards the falling shape.

As it hit nearly hit the water, Lucy got a good view of who it was. It was Natsu, clutching Erza close to his chest as he plummeted down.

"Ice make : Floor!" Gray yelled, and Natsu landed on the ice feet first, earning a gasp of pain. Erza went flying, but Gray quickly caught her and placed her inside the sphere. Lucy was already at Natsu's side, hovering next to him with a worried expression as he forced himself to his feet.

"Where's Kaneki?" Happy asked Natsu as the Dragon Slayer was placed inside the water barrier. Natsu sighed and glanced at the Tower.

"He… he stayed behind to get Simon," He whispered, and pulled at the sides of his hair in frustration.

The Tower started to glow, and they all quivered in fear. "Wha… what's happening?" Sho asked, and Erza winced. "The Tower… it can't contain that much magical energy," She explained in a near whisper. "Kaneki… he didn't stay behind to save Simon,"

They all stared at her, and as their eyes widened, Erza said, "He stayed behind to sacrifice himself to save all of us."

A tear fell down her face, and soon she was crying freely.

The Tower shook, and then exploded in a bright array of light aimed upwards. Lucy could almost see his kind, small smile as the Tower disintegrated into nothing.

When the light faded, there was nothing left of the Tower, and no Kaneki waving his Kagune and laughing at their horrified faces.

Kaneki Ghoul… was dead.

* * *

 **Titania Falls!**

* * *

 **Next Time on Fairy Tail!**

Kaneki is visited by the three worlds; what will they say? Meanwhile, the Team believes he is dead, so what will they do when Kaneki appears out of nowhere? And will they tell the Guild the truth? And who was that mysterious man? Find out next time on : Home!

* * *

 _Fourth wall has been repaired. We are sorry for any inconvenience._

 **Okay, so to explain something important:**

 **The Kaneki we are using is the Brown haired one; same personality-ish. He's kind of a mix between 'Brown' and 'White' haired Kaneki.**

 **The three 'Worlds' have a pretty big impact on this story, especially after Tenrou. [Many things will happen after Tenrou, and they shall all be awesome!]**

 **Acnologia is a big part of his as well, as is Rize, Akuma and Teiko. Trust us. They are vital.**

 **Kaneki will become the depressed, anti-social badass we all know and love after Tenrou. You guys have to wait a looooong time, though - We're going through all the arcs.**

 **VOTE ON FORREST'S POLL BECAUSE IT'S GONNA CLOSE SOON!**


	11. Home!

**Wow. I didn't expect to get this far so quickly… It makes me so happy! :p**

 **OK so, I want _80_ reviews this time! And the reason why I updated before you guys reached 60 reviews was because I didn't think I was going to have enough time when it did hit 60 reviews… so yeah. My bad.**

 **Don't worry, I have PLENTY of free time now! XD And for the record, I'm changing Akuma so that his voice is no longer italicized; it's just bold.**

 _Rize's is italicized, but without any quote marks_.  Teiko is underlined.

 **So I get people are confused from the last chapter when I introduced the fact that Simon knows more about Kaneki then meets the eye, then plummets to his death for no ultimate reason. Well, I was going to let him live, but then I'm like, 'Wait. There's no plot significance if he lives.' So yeah… he's dead. (Real shame.) {He won't be missed!} /SHUT IT!/**

 **…so Ghoul, [The persona of Kaneki I am currently using] is a mix of Ken [brown hair] and Mukade. [The badass]**

 **Ghoul is a nerdy book worm, but he also has a fierce, 'fuck off' side of him too. I think it's kinda nice, and don't forget his never ending sarcasm!**

 _ **Make sure you read this AN because I'm gonna clip it down in a week to save space on my memory card.**_

 ****Magika is just another name for Earthland; it's what it used to be called in Zeref's time. ****

 **[I got a new tablet! Squeeee~!]**

 **Song: Yoholoid, Face Less by Shius. Give it a listen; it's fucking awesome for a song about a teen gone serial killer.**

* * *

 **I don't own this fandom. Shame, though; I sure wish I did.**

* * *

 **Last Time on Fairy Tail!**

* * *

 _"He… he stayed behind to get Simon," He whispered, and pulled at the sides of his hair in frustration._

 _The Tower started to glow, and they all quivered in fear. "Wha… what's happening?" Sho asked, and Erza winced. "The Tower… it can't contain that much magical energy," She explained in a near whisper. "Kaneki… he didn't stay behind to save Simon,"_

 _They all stared at her, and as their eyes widened, Erza said, "He stayed behind to sacrifice himself to save all of us."_

 _A tear fell down her face, and soon she was crying freely._

 _The Tower shook, and then exploded in a bright array of light aimed upwards. Lucy could almost see his kind, small smile as the Tower disintegrated into nothing._

 _When the light faded, there was nothing left of the Tower, and no Kaneki waving his Kagune and laughing at their horrified faces._

 _Kaneki Ghoul… was dead._

* * *

 **Home!**

 _ **if i'm one of the faceless,**_

* * *

Kaneki opened his eyes slowly, only to find himself surrounded by bright light. As he registered where he was, he frowned as he tried to remember how he got there. Nothing came to mind.

Out of instinct, he willed himself forward, and forward he walked, but he felt nothing. It was like he was floating along on an invisible current, and yet his feet still moved in an unnecessary mime of walking forward.

As he drifted along, a thought came to him. _'Did I save them?'_

His brows furrowed as he tried to remember. Who? Who had he tried to save?

Everything was a bur to him; a blur that muddled every memory and thought into nothingness. He knew his name; Kaneki Ghoul. And he knew that he was supposed to get out of the blinding whiteness and find someone, but he didn't know who.

 ** _I see that you have died._** A voice hummed. Kaneki stopped floating and landed on a patch of pure white flowers that turned and twisted as his feet touched the ground. Suddenly, the entire world around him flashed brightly, and faded. He was standing in a field of white flowers, and a sky that was light blue and glimmered with clouds. In the distance, he could just make out a figure with shimmering violet hair.

He tried to call out, but before sound could erupt from his mouth, the voice spoke again. **_It is… unfortunate that your demise has occurred so soon, but nothing I cannot fix._**

Kaneki frowned once more. He died? When? How?

"Why can't I remember?" He called out, and a breeze blew past him, white petals dancing on the invisible air. His eyes widened slightly as the petals circled together, then formed the shape of a girl.

She was dressed in a light pink, frilled dress that covered her bare feet. Her hair was blonde and very long, nearly to her ankles. A small little frill on her forehead stuck out, which Kaneki vaguely thought of as an adorable addition to her appearance.

Above her ears was a small wing like ribbon attached to her hair, and they bobbed in a breeze Kaneki couldn't feel. The ground beneath her was clear; no flowers followed her movements.

She looked up at him, and Kaneki saw that her eyes were a pale emerald green that shimmered with undisguised sadness and ancient wisdom, yet there was also a childlike spirit in them as well.

 ** _You cannot remember because you choose not to. It was not my doing that you forgot your past lives._**

Kaneki frowned; nothing she said was making sense. Then it hit him.

"Lives… you said lives. What do you mean?"

She looked a bit surprised he had asked that question, but she smiled and closed her eyes, the breeze blowing slightly harder and shifting her hair.

 ** _You, Kaneki Ghoul, are only part of a whole. There are three parts of you, each separated from one another when your existence became known._**

"Why was I separated from... myself?" He asked, trying to make sense of what she was saying.

 ** _Because as your true self, you were too powerful to let live as yourself. So when you were killed in the Dragon War, you allowed yourself to fade away and live a much better life. But that process has not yet been revoked; somehow your true self was lost to the ages of time, resulting in three versions of your true consciousness._**

Kaneki pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to understand what was happening. "You mean to say that… I'm not meant to exist?"

She nodded. **_Your existence was never supposed to occur in the first place. Had you not appeared before Erza in the Tower of Heaven all those years ago, things would have been different. But now, you exist, and the Worlds can do nothing to change it._**

Kaneki frowned. "Worlds? How many are there?"

She chuckled, a faint and amused smile on her face. **_There are three; Magika, Edolas and Earth. The world of magic, the fading world, and the world of death and carnage._**

She looked him dead in the eyes, and Kaneki felt that, somehow, he knew her from somewhere.

 ** _Currently, your true self is not needed. But beware, child of Zeref; a war is coming that will turn you against Fairy Tail._**

Kaneki's eyes widened as he remembered it.

 ** _Do you promise not to harm a member of Fairy Tail?_**

 _'I –I promise…'_

 ** _Then I shall hold you to your word, child of Zeref._**

Fairy Tail… it was his Guild. It was where his family lived; it was where his friends laughed and enjoyed themselves. It was the only place he felt like he belonged. It was home.

"Why me?" He finally asked. "Why… why do the Worlds need me for their battles?" _'Why even let me exist?'_

The woman gave him a sad shake of her head. **_Edolas, Earth and Magika… they decided that you are too powerful to live in one word as a whole. That is why they divided you into three; Mukade, Rinkaku and Ghoul. You are Ghoul; you are the bravery, the loyalty that lives in your heart. Mukade is your insanity; he gives you power, and yet he is weak. Rinkaku is your human self. He is your empathy, your emotions and the reason you despise eating humans, for you have one inside of you._**

Kaneki nodded, and balled his hands into fists. "What am I supposed to do to become… whoever I used to be?"

She froze and stared at him for a moment, before a tear fell down her face, landing on the ground and turning the world black.

 ** _You have to die._**

* * *

 **Home!**

 _ **then can i even tell if i am what is regardless?**_

* * *

 _'He's gone... he's gone...'_ Was the repeating mantra in Erza's mind, as she stared blankly at the place where the Tower had once stood. _'I can't believe that he's... gone...'_

 _"And I promise, when I return, no one will ever hurt you ever again."_

A sad smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. _'You're such an idiot, Kaneki,'_ She thought. _'I was hurt. You broke your promise...'_

Her smile faded, and she gritted her teeth and gripped the fabric of her tunic, tears raining down. _'How did I not see it? How could I not notice that he never ate? Why was I such an idiot!?'_

Her body racked with sobs, and still only one eye formed tears. "Why..." She choked out, and balled a fist, ramming it into the shallow sea. "Why are you such a baka, Kaneki?"

* * *

 **Home!**

 ** _the world might even end by my hand_**

* * *

Lucy glanced at Natsu with a worried expression. The Dragon Slayer was hunched over, his eyes over shadowed by his salmon bangs. He hadn't moved from his position ever since Sho had released him from his Card Barrier spell.

Lucy fingered her key ring out of habit and turned to see Happy hovering sadly near the Dragon Slayer, his brown eyes brimming with sadness. Brown eyes...

 _"I'm not the type of person you'd like."_

Lucy shook her head and wiped at her eyes, trying to prevent the tears from falling. _'You're such a dumbass, Kaneki,'_ She grumbled internally. _'We care about you. I care about you; you didn't... you didn't have to...'_

A tear fell down her face, and another, and another, landing on her clenched fists and some onto her pink Guild Mark. _'You may be a monster,'_ She continued, and turned her head to see everyone either staring at the shallow ocean water in shock, or towards the place the Tower had once been. _'But that doesn't mean you weren't human, either.'_

* * *

 **Home!**

 ** _and i won't even know who i am_**

* * *

Natsu gritted his teeth, trying to keep himself from punching a crater into the beach. _'I'm such an idiot!'_ He exclaimed. _'I never should've left him there to get Simon! I should have known he'd do something stupid...'_

A small smile formed on Natsu's face as he remembered their brief but fun times with the Take Over mage.

 _He had just recovered from being smashed into the ground, they found it was from Kaneki's Kagune. The Mage was standing over them with a pissed look on his face and a 'fuck off' aura around him, which caused the Dragon Slayer to silently gulp._

 _"If you two would so kindly shut up, I will be forced to silence you by burying you both six feet under," Kaneki had growled. "We'll be quiet!" He and Happy had replied, scared out of their wits by his 'Erza' bravado._

Natsu would have laughed, had the next memory not taken over his thoughts.

 _"Go!" Kaneki had yelled to him after Erza was thrust into Natsu's arms. "Get Erza to safety!"_

 _"What about you?!" Natsu had exclaimed, knowing that Kaneki was up to something._

 _The Take Over Mage had paused, then gave Natsu a small smile. "I'm pretty resilient," He had joked, and the Tower rumbled again, and debris started to fall from the ceiling. "GO!" Kaneki had roared his previous demeanor all but gone. Natsu had yelled, "Don't you dare die on me, Kaneki!" and he encased his body in fire, then he jumped off the Tower, plunging towards the ocean below with Erza in his arms._

 _And halfway down, he heard the faint whisper that caused his eyes to widen and whip his head up towards the Tower, his mind numb with disbelief._

 _"I'm sorry," Kaneki had whispered, "But I don't think Fairy Tail needs me…"_

 _"YES IT DOES! FAIRY TAIL IS YOUR FAMILY! YOU BELONG THERE!" Natsu had screamed, but a few moments later, he landed on the ice Gray had formed, and when the Tower exploded did he fully realize what Kaneki had done._

 _"Where's Kaneki?" Happy had asked him as the he was placed inside the water barrier. Natsu had sighed and glanced up at the Tower, inwardly screaming for Kaneki to get out._

 _"He… he stayed behind to get Simon," He whispered, and pulled at the sides of his hair in frustration. Why had he even mentioned the Darkness Mage?! Kaneki was going to die if he didn't get out soon! Natsu felt utterly helpless as t_ _he Tower started to glow, and they all quivered in fear._

 _"Wha… what's happening?" Sho asked, and Erza winced. "The Tower… it can't contain that much magical energy," She explained in a near whisper. "Kaneki… he didn't stay behind to save Simon,"_

 _They all stared at her, and as their eyes widened, Erza said, "He stayed behind to sacrifice himself to save all of us."_

Natsu let a tear fall down his face as he realized that Kaneki's death... was his fault.

* * *

 **Home!**

 _ **so say it isn't so**_

* * *

Gray felt utterly numb as he fingered his necklace. He didn't care about the fact that Juvia was hugging him tightly, burying her face into his shoulder as tears fell down her face.

 _'I can't believe he's... dead,'_ He thought. _'What are we going to tell the guys at the Guild? The Master owes us an explanation, though...'_

He gritted his teeth and balled his fists, his form trembling and causing Juvia to look up at him in concern; was her brave, strong and proud Gray-sama crying?

 _'What the hell am I thinking?!'_ He exclaimed, grinding his teeth and not realizing Juvia's concern. _'I should be helping the others out of their own hell holes, and instead I'm digging my own!'_

A snort escaped him, and he continued his mental rant, oblivious to Juvia's slowly widening eyes as she stared out towards the rising horizon. _'He... Kaneki wasn't a bad guy,'_ He admitted to himself. _'He was a good friend... a brave comrade, super good at his type of magic...'_

His mind wandered briefly to their time in Akane Resort, when Kaneki had moved to change and Gray hadn't moved from his wide open view of the open door... holy shit that had embarrassed the life out of him. Gray remembered how he had mentally begged whatever gods out there to not let Kaneki believe he was into guys. Heaven forbid Juvia found this out...

A small frown appeared on his face. Juvia Lockser, former member of Phantom Lord. She obviously had a huge crush on him; she wasn't very discreet about it. Gray had to admit, he did like her, but he was more of the 'take it slow' kind of guy, while he had no doubt that Juvia was fully prepared to sleep with him, maybe even go farther...

He blinked his eyes; that wasn't an image he wanted in his head. But the idea of mini Gray and Juvia's running around the Guild and pissing off Natsu... well, that didn't seem like such a bad idea.

* * *

 **Home!**

 ** _if i am one of the faceless_**

* * *

Juvia couldn't believe Kaneki-kun was dead. She was fairly impressed at his magical skill; he was practically on par with Armia-san in a fight, and his magical energy was even higher than Gajeel-sama's!

 _'It is probably possible for Kaneki-kun to have defeated Arima-san in one blow,' She had thought as she dressed herself in a navy blue dress. 'He was very powerful; Juvia doubts she could have defeated him if Kaneki-san had been in his right mind.'_

 _She had then frowned, thinking of their first encounter._

 _She had placed Lucy into her Water Lock spell, and the boy - Kaneki - just snapped. His crimson tentacles had shifted positions, and Juvia had felt a large wave of fear take over her. Something inside of her was telling her to run, that she was in danger, and yet she hadn't. She stood her ground, even when he had hissed, "I'll kill you... I'll gut you and carve you and clean your bones!"_

 _He had charged then, and one of his tentacles pierced her shoulder, and for the first time in her life, Juvia saw herself bleed._

 _He had then withdrawn his tentacle, and Juvia, too shocked to continue her magic, caused the Water Lock around Lucy to burst. Kaneki's eyepatch had somehow fallen off, and she was struck numb with fear as she gazed into his eye. The iris a blood red, and the whites a nightmare black, it was intimidating, yes, but there was something about him as a whole that was just... wrong. It made her want to flee; to run and cower someplace safe where he couldn't reach._

 _She felt like she was the minnow, and he was the shark. She had no way to fight back; she could only accept the inevitable._

 _And then he had froze, his insane smile faltering as he gripped the sides of his head and scream, "No! I am in control! No one can command me! No one can touch me! **NO ONE CAN TRAP ME AGAIN!** "_

 _The surrounding building's windows had shattered, and magical energy surrounded him, trying to enter him and power him. After a few seconds, he passed out onto the cobblestone and proceeded to, what looked like, have a seizure, and blood spattered out his ears. Juvia and Sol had merely stared at him, eyes wide and minds numb._

 _'This boy...' Juvia had thought as she watched. 'What is he?'_

 _'Juvia knows that now,'_ She thought bitterly. _'Kaneki-kun is a creature of Zeref that eats humans, and he hates it. He is a monster.'_

She looked towards the empty place where the Tower had stood, and she shook her head. _'No... why would a monster sacrifice himself to protect his friends and Juvia-chan?'_

 _'Why would he die... for us?'_

* * *

 **Home!**

 ** _if memory serves right,_**

* * *

Kaneki opened his eyes and abruptly choked. He bolted upright, hacking and coughing, trying to get whatever he had swallowed out of his sinuses. After a few minutes, his stomach was completely empty and vomit lined the ocean water. Wrinkling his nose, Kaneki unfurled his Kagune and used them to stay upright as he kicked himself away from the vomit.

"Now I just need to find the others and leave this god-forsaken ocean," He grumbled when it hit him. The Tower was gone.

He spun wildly, trying to find some sign of shore, but none appeared. He gulped and tried to sort himself out, breathing deeply and slowly.

"Okay Kaneki, you're in the middle of the ocean with no sign of land," He said to himself as he turned himself in slow circles, trying to find some sort of sign of where the hell he was. "What are you supposed to do now?"

 ** _You, Kaneki Ghoul, are only part of a whole. There are three parts of you, each separated from one another when your existence became known._**

Kaneki winced and touched his forehead; had it only been a dream? After a moment, he conceded to believe he had merely imagined it. There was no way for other Links to contact him except for Teiko and...

Akuma. A smile formed on Kaneki's face, and he stopped turning in a circle. His Link would know where he was!

 _'Akuma?'_ He called, not bothering to hide his desperation. _'Come on, answer me!'_

 **"Kid? Is that you?"**

Kaneki nearly wept in relief; he wasn't alone! Quickly, he nodded his head, even though it was a pointless feat. "Yeah, I'm fine. Listen, I have no fucking clue to where I am!"

Akuma laughed. **"That's just like you; getting lost and then begging me for directions."**

Kaneki frowned. "I don't beg!"

Akuma rolled his eyes. **"Sure you don't... Anyways, I was super worried about you, kid! The Lacima was interfering with our Link, and when Jellal shoved you inside the Lacrima, I thought..."** Akuma sighed heavily, then added, **"Look... I'm so, so, _so_ sorry kid that I broke my promise to you."**

Kaneki smiled and shook his head. "It's okay, Akuma. It wasn't your fault. I won't hold it against you."

His Link breathed a sigh of relief before falling silent, concentrating on trying to find the nearest source of land.

 **"Land ho in four miles; It's part of Akane Resort."**

Kaneki blinked in surprise, before readying himself to swim towards his given destination. "And the others? Are they okay?"

Akuma chuckled. **"Yeah, they're okay kid. A bit battered and bruised, but otherwise alright."**

Kaneki let out a sigh of relief before positioning himself in the water; head-first and aimed directly towards shore. **"A bit to the left... relax kid, I won't let you crash into anything... Okay, now!"**

Using every last bit of his energy, Kaneki propelled himself forward, begging to whatever gods existed that Akuma was right, and no one was hurt.

* * *

 **Home!**

 ** _if i can see what is pointless_**

* * *

Erza stood to her feet and placed a hand on Natsu's back, causing him to wince and then look up, his usually vibrant hazel eyes dead and hard with grief. No one else looked any better. Kaneki's death had placed a hard toll on all of them.

"We can't..." She started, but her voice chocked, and she coughed several times before continuing. "We can't tell anyone the truth."

Her words were met with surprise, and then understanding. No one wanted Kaneki to be seen as a monster; even if he ate humans, he was an all-in-all great person. Full of loyalty, empathy and a mixture of them all - He had Natsu's loyalty and encouragement; Erza's skill and terrifying intimidating abilities; Lucy's charm and lack of resolve in turning those in need away, and he shared Gray's determination to protect the ones he cared about.

"I would rather my brother seen as a hero than a monster. And besides, if the Magic Council caught wind of what Kaneki is... they'd waste no time in disbanding the Guild and putting the Master in jail for taking Kaneki in. I would probably be questioned for hours about him."

Natsu stood to his feet, water dripping down his soaked form. Being in shallow water, there was no need for Juvia to perform her Water Barrier, so they were all dripping wet with sea water. But none of them cared; a comrade of theirs had died and there was nothing left of him to even bury. He had sacrificed his life for them... and they barely even knew him.

He was Erza's older brother, he used Take Over Magic, and he had been in the Tower with her as well, but other then that... nothing, except for the 'He eats humans' thing. Nooo, that wasn't an important detail at all.

"I'm... I'm sorry Erza," Natsu whispered, and they all turned to face him. "I knew... I heard him, before he died. I knew he was... was going to..."

The Son of Igneel's voice cracked, and Happy hovered close to his best friend, tears falling down the cat's drenched blue fur.

Erza bit her lip and pulled Natsu into a tight hug, and after a few moments, they broke apart, foreheads pressed together in their shared sorrow.

"I forgive you," Erza whispered, and gave him a small, sad smile. "Kaneki... he knew what he was doing. Besides, I know him. Joining Fairy Tail... it was the most happiest time of his life."

"Nya! That's right!" Milliana chirped with a sad smile. "Kaneki-san sure seemed protective of you guys!"

Wally nodded. "Ah, 'e sure did. That kid sure 'ad guts, I'll give 'im dat."

Natsu nodded and swallowed hard, moving away from the Re-Quip Mage and cuddling with Happy, who was also distraught, but kept up a bit of courage to comfort the Dragon Slayer.

Lucy let out a sad sigh. "I'm really going to miss him..."

Happy looked pulled away from Natsu and nodded at her, his eyes sad and gloomy. "Aye..."

"We all are," Gray added, his voice tight with repressed emotion.

"You know he's not dead, right?"

Everyone's head turned to see a man, the very man that had spoken to them just moments before.

"You!" Gray exclaimed, pushing himself in front of Juvia. They all stood back from him, except for Natsu and Erza, who had yet to meet him.

"Who the hell are you?" Natsu asked in a weary voice. Lucy shivered upon hearing it; That certainly didn't sound like the Natsu she knew.

The man smirked. "Let's just say I am the reason... well, never mind. You don't need to know that yet." He turned to face Juvia, who flinched under his sapphire gaze. "You can feel it, can't you, Rain Woman? He isn't really dead."

Gray stared at her, and Juvia slowly shook her head, then forcefully as she summoned a ball of water into her hands, prepared to fight. "You know nothing," She hissed. "I left that life a long time ago."

The man just laughed, exposing his sharp incisor teeth. "Well, I cannot blame you, Juvia of the Great Sea," He said with a smirk. He looked away from her, then looked at them all, his arrogance gone, replaced by pure seriousness.

"You must listen; Kaneki isn't dead. This Timeline isn't done with him yet." His words were met with confused faces, and he merely sighed, dragging a hand down his face in exasperation.

"A war is coming, Humans," He warned, and his body started to become see-through. "A war is coming that will turn him against you."

"Wait!" Lucy cried, shakily stepping forward. "What is... your name?"

The man froze, before a small smile graced his lips, and he looked her dead in the eyes, his sapphire eyes twinkling, as if he hid an important secret. "My name... well, you can just call me Mokushiroku."

And then he was gone as if he had never been there before.

* * *

 **Home!**

 _ **and see inside my eyes,**_

* * *

"You allowed him to live."

The man watched as the light from the exploding tower faded, leaving the night sky untouched. He looked up at the stars, a small hint of a smile on his face. He sighed softly and ducked his head in gratitude.

"Thank you… Mavis. I will have wanted him back… but the time isn't now."

 ** _You are correct,_** She said, hovering behind him, a scowl on her face. **_The time wasn't right. Had he been resurrected as FALLEN, you know that END would soon follow. None of the worlds are ready for it._**

The man nodded. "True… but I miss them."

Mavis gave him a sad smile and hovered near him, her blonde hair blowing in a wind the man could not feel.

 ** _I know you do,_** She whispered. **_They were my best friends, if you can recall._**

The man chuckled, shaking his head with an amused glint in his pale eyes. "Yes; the three of you never stopped pranking me. I still remember when I nearly ate that frog!"

Mavis laughed with him, their voices in harmony for mere moments before they were happy no longer, and their predicaments came back into their minds, bordering their mindscapes with darkness.

"…I miss him," He whispered, a tear running down his face. "It's been nine hundred years, and each time he has been reincarnated as a different person. But… he isn't Haise. He's never going to be my…"

He broke off, his Adam's apple bobbing from the strain of not crying in front of Mavis, who gave him a sympathetic smile and reached out to place a hand on his back, only to recoil as her hand was only inches away and settle to speaking.

 ** _Haise is not coming back, Zeref,_** She said. **_As hard as you may try, even if FALLEN does return to you, he will never be the same. You know this._**

Zeref nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips as a breeze blew his ebony hair, exposing his clear, bright blue eyes that were filled to the brim with ancient sadness.

"I know that when FALLEN is resurrected, he won't be the same, having all of his memories as Ghoul, Mukade and Rinkaku…" He lifted his head to face the sky, which was just starting to brighten from the impending sunrise. "But a big brother can hope… right?"

Mavis smiled. **_Yes. You can hope for the best, Zeref. But remember I am only helping you to save Fairy Tail; nothing more. The dead are meant to stay dead._**

Zeref chuckled. "Then I guess that makes me nothing more than a walking corpse that wants to die."

* * *

 **Home!**

 _ **if i can...**_

* * *

Erza stared at the place where Mokushiroku had just been, then whirled around to face Sho, eyes hard and searching for answers.

"Who the hell was that?" She hissed, and Sho took a cautious step back. Gray stepped in-between them, trying to keep Erza from impaling the Card Mage. "He appeared in front of us before the Tower exploded," Gray explained, putting on a brave face while inside he was just as desperate for answers as she was. "He told us that if we entered the Tower, Acnologia would appear."

Erza's eyes went wide, and she took a step back. "Acnologia? Are you sure?"

Happy nodded miserably. "Aye; that's what he said."

The Re-Quip Mage stared blankly at the water lapping at her feet. "What type of mess have we gotten ourselves into..."

"But didn't you hear... Kaneki-kun isn't dead," Juvia whispered. "That means... he's out there somewhere, looking for us too."

Silence met her words as it sowly dawned on them all that if Mokushiroku was right... then that means...

"Kaneki," Erza whispered as she stared out into the horizon. There, growing steadily closer to them, was a crimson blurr that was shooting through the waves, his crimson tentacles enabling him to go even faster.

As he came closer, he stopped once he reached shallow water and seemed to balance himself on the ground, breathing hard from his exertion. A few moments later, when he appeared to have regained his breath, he looked up to see all eight of them staring at him, unable to believe he was actually alive.

Kaneki gave them a toothy grin and walked forward, only to fall flat on his face into the ocean. Erza immediately broke into a run and scooped him up into her arms, tears rolling down her face as her emotions formed once again.

"Don't ever think of pulling a stunt like that again!" She cried, burying her face into the crook of his neck. Kaneki gave her a drowsy smile and simply wrapped his arms around her, his Kagune soon following suit, and the Re-Quip Mage was soon enveloped in a dangerous embrace.

"Erza..." He whispered, and this simple word only made her cry harder. "Never again!" She sobbed, shaking him and causing his Kagune to rise slightly, ready to react to whatever danger he might find himself in.

 _"Erza..." He whispered, and hugged her even tighter, his forehead pressed against hers. "Thanks..."_

 _'I can't die, not now, not ever,'_ He swore to himself as the others finally caught up, crushing the two of them in a huge group hug. _'I am going to live and protect them, even if I have to die again to do it.'_

 ** _Because as your true self, you were too powerful to let live as yourself. So when you were killed in the Dragon War, you allowed yourself to fade away and live a much better life. But that process has not yet been revoked; somehow your true self was lost to the ages of time, resulting in three versions of your true consciousness._**

A small smile formed on his face, and Kaneki laughed at Happy's face as the blue cat buried his face into Kaneki's chest as he let Erza go.

 _'In order for me to protect them... I need to become stronger. I need to become who I once was.'_

 _'I need to become the monster that I am.'_

* * *

 **Home!**

 ** _i won't even know who i am_**

* * *

 _ **Next Time on Fairy Tail!**_

Kaneki tells them all the full truth; will they accept him as a monster? Milliana, Wally and Sho leave to embark on a journey to discover the world outside the Tower; will Kaneki let them live, knowing they hold the truth about him? As the Team returns to Fairy Tail, will Gray, Natsu, Lucy, Erza, Happy and Juvia be able to keep his secret? And who is Mokushiroku, and how does he know Kaneki? What other secrets is the Ghoul hiding? Find out next time on : These Secrets Define Me!

* * *

 **Next chapter is just a continuation of Home, because I won't put the rest of it in this chapter. Waaaay too long.**

 **Thank JackWritters for nagging me to update this early - You jerk, I have a schedule to keep, ya know?!**

 **Anyways, _80_ reviews minimum. If I get 100... well, you'll get a triple update! [And it might take a while for the chapters to be written. Just warning you...]**

 **I seriously doubt any sane person is awake right now to read this chapter, but if you are, pat yourself on the back for reading this, and seriously, GO TO SLEEP.**

 **Do you guys see any typos? I keep finding them on my older chapters - Damn, the first chapter alone had at least 47!**

 **And awwww hell this chapter was full of info and sneak-peaks for what I'm planning. I shall not be giving spoilers, but this chapter had waaaay to many of them. I'm seriously going to have fun after the Tenrou arc...**


	12. These Secrets Define Me!

**Wow. Just _wow_. It took you guys forever to reach 80 reviews... **

**So who's heard of Homestuck? Please explain what it is - My friends keep trying to adopt me into the fandom but whyyy...?**

 **BTW - Kaneki isn't a Dragon Slayer. Cookie to whoever gets it right~! [And no, Frostbite, you cannot answer this one!]**

 ***Blanc is used to represent when the anime characters just go completely white. Blanched is the same thing***

 **SONG LYRICS DON'T BELONG TO ME! I SWEAR! [I'm horrible at writing lyrics anyways...]**

 **DEDICATED TO SUICIDE FOREST BECAUSE SHE IS THE REASON I AM UPDATING THIS LATE AT NIGHT. [9:51 pm]**

* * *

 **I don't own this fandom. Shame, though; I sure wish I did.**

* * *

 **Last Time on Fairy Tail!**

* * *

'I can't die, not now, not ever,' _He swore to himself as the others finally caught up, crushing the two of them in a huge group hug._ 'I am going to live and protect them, even if I have to die again to do it.'

 _Because as your true self, you were too powerful to let live as yourself. So when you were killed in the Dragon War, you allowed yourself to fade away and live a much better life. But that process has not yet been revoked; somehow your true self was lost to the ages of time, resulting in three versions of your true consciousness._

 _A small smile formed on his face, and Kaneki laughed at Happy's face as the blue cat buried his face into Kaneki's chest as he let Erza go._

'In order for me to protect them... I need to become stronger. I need to become who I once was.'

'I need to become the monster that I am. _'_

* * *

 **These Secrets Define Me!**

* * *

Kaneki's eye twitched as he tried to ignore Natsu's loud snores. _'Seriously, how loud can this moron get?'_ He grumbled.

"Is he going to be okay?" Lucy asked with a laugh, looking at the Dragon Slayer with a fond smile.

They were all in Kaneki's large room they had rented at Akane Resort, the first reason being Erza didn't want him out of her sights, and the second was because Natsu had passed out on the bed and had been sleeping for several days.

"Well, he is Natsu Dragneel," Kaneki joked with a small smile. "It's what the guy does best."

Gray shook his head at the sleeping Mage. "I can't believe he actually jumped from the Tower. What an idiot."

With those words, Natsu sat up, eyes open as he growled, "What was that, Gray?!"

"He's up!" Happy exclaimed, hovering over the Mage and deflating as Natsu's eyes closed and he passed out yet again. "He's down?!"

This act only pissed off the Ice Make Mage. "HE WOKE UP JUST TO PICK A FIGHT WITH ME?!"

Kaneki laughed, as did Akuma, the Link's echoing laughter resonating throughout Kaneki's mindscape. **"Priceless..."**

The half-human nodded in agreement, a grin on his face.

Erza smiled softly, then looked down at her lap, shame in her eyes. "I caused you all so much trouble during this journey," She said softly.

Lucy turned towards her and gave her a smile. "Enough," She said kindly. "We keep telling you that it isn't your fault!"

Kaneki nodded. "Stop fretting about it, imōto," He said. _'If anything, it's my fault for not being able to protect you.'_ He added silently, tone full of self-loathing.

Erza nodded, and after a few seconds turned to Gray, who was glaring at Natsu. "Um... where did that girl go?" She asked.

Gray blinked and turned towards her. "You mean Juvia? She left saying something about 'joining Fairy Tail as soon as possible'"

Kaneki sweat dropped, and Akuma was near tears. **"Nooo!"** The link cried. **"Now we're gonna have to put up with her 'notice me senpai!' attitude!"**

Kaneki nodded, coughing to disguise his laughter. _'This... will not end well,'_ He agreed.

Akuma groaned. "Please don't get in please don't get in please don't get in..."

Erza nodded. "I see..."

No one spoke for a moment, uncomfortable silence soon following until the Re-Quip Mage sighed and stood to her feet. Not saying a word, she left the room, leaving Kaneki, Gray, and Lucy alone with a bored blue cat and a sleeping Dragon Slayer.

Gray sighed and turned to face Kaneki. "Uh... look, I..." Gray started, then shook his head and began again. "Why do you eat humans?"

Kaneki stiffened, then let out a small puff of air and faced the Ice Make Mage, eyes glimmering in sadness.

"It... it's not like I want to, or anything," He explained softly. "I'm not human, Gray. I never was."

Lucy frowned. "But... Mokushiroku said that you had been resurrected when you died by Zeref, and was turned into..." She didn't continue her sentence, but the unspoken word hung in the air, suspended by an invisible string.

"A monster?" Kaneki finished dryly. He sighed, dragging his hand down his face like he always did, and continued his explanation. "Yeah, I guess the fact that I eat humans makes me one... but I don't have any choice," He said. "If I could eat human food, I'd do it gladly! I'd probably eat anything without complaining for the rest of my damned life."

The half-human let out a tired sigh. "But the thing is... I can't. Human food... it's like poison to me. Porlyuscia said that if I allow it to digest inside of me, it'd weaken me to the point where I could die."

Lucy, Happy, and Gray just stared at him, and Kaneki continued, eyes welling up with unbidden tears. "Don't you get it? Zeref... he cursed me. He's gone out of his way to make my life a living hell, and viola, he's done it!" He said bitterly. "You humans... you're so lucky. You get to choose, every day. Your lives aren't already planned for you."

 ** _Beware, child of Zeref; a war is coming that will turn you against Fairy Tail._**

Kaneki stiffened, and then the tears fell. "Humans... are so, _so_ lucky," He whispered. "You don't look at a friend and think, 'Will they become my next meal?' You aren't terrified when you feel hungry, and avoid populated areas because you don't want anyone to die."

His voice choked, but he knew he had to go on. He had to.

"You... you don't wake up in an orphanage... and see everyone slaughtered, your hands covered in blood," He whispered. "You don't hide yourselves from the world... in order to protect it."

He looked up, his eyes meeting theirs, and he felt his Kakugan appear, tears of red falling with the blue.

"You don't look at your Guild Mates... and wonder which one will be the next to die."

* * *

 **These Secrets Define Me!**

* * *

Acnologia sighed as he looked away from the Seer Lacrima. It was larger than Zeref's, but the Dark Mage had designed his to be portable. Acnologia's wasn't.

It was roughly the size of a circular, jagged dining table that shone in the light. Currently, it was resting in the middle of a large cavern with a beam of moonlight shining upon it. On the surface was Kaneki Ghoul, sitting on a chair in his board room in Akane Resort and close to an emotional breakdown.

"Damn Zeref," He hissed, mentally imagining himself cutting the Mage in half. "Him and his stupid plans to resurrect FALLEN and END. Those brats probably don't even want to come back to life…"

The Chaos Dragon sighed and rubbed his eyes, his sapphire tattoos glimmering in the Lacrima light.

He chuckled as he thought of his encounter with the Fairy Tail Mages. Being Kaneki's close friends, Acnologia couldn't kill them, no matter how much he wanted to wring Makarov's neck. And Gildarts. Definitely Gildarts Clive; stupid human, trying to lay a blow on him, the bringer of the Apocalypse!

The Dragon winced slightly as he remembered how he had reacted. He tried not to kill the human, but being an oversized Dragon… well, the Mage should have expected to lose a few limbs.

 _'Stupid human should be thankful I spared his miserable hide,'_ He grumbled, walking over to his Lacrima and preparing to change the image. _'If it weren't for the Timeline, I would have gutted him like a fish.'_

He paused, the thought of fish causing his stomach to grumble in complaint. He sighed and shook his head, his mind wandering to the ancient past, where he and Ko would leave the cave on rare occasions to fish in the nearby creek. Each time, the boy's hair would grow lighter and lighter from its intended ebony black shade, so it didn't surprise Acnologia in the least to discover Kaneki's hair was starch white.

Kaneki… Acnologia sighed and rubbed his temples, trying to make sense of things. Whenever he saw Kaneki Ghoul, his mind instantly thought of Ko and his happy smile and chirpy laugh.

The Apocalypse Dragon huffed and forced the memories back into the depths of his mind. He didn't have time for musings.

Turning back towards the Seer Lacrima, Acnologia canceled the live feed of Kaneki Ghoul and changed it to Zeref. The Dark Mage was deep in thought, sitting on a bed of lush grass in what seemed to be Tenroujima.

"Fairy Tail won't approve of you being on their sacred grounds," Acnologia warned, "Especially Mavis."

Zeref sighed and shrugged his shoulders slightly. "What makes you think I care?"

Acnologia resisted the urge to strangle him, and let out a frustrated sigh before continuing. "It is set. The Fairies know of my existence in the form of a mysterious man named Mokushiroku," He said, chuckling slightly at the end. "The timeline has reacted well. If everything proceeds according to plan, FALLEN will soon rise, and END will follow."

Zeref sighed, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "At long last," He whispered, "I will finally be reunited… with my family…"

 _'Yes, you will,'_ Acnologia thought darkly, _'and once FALLEN is resurrected, I am taking Ko back if it's the last thing I do.'_

He thought back to Ko; the smiling and always eager little boy with his warm brown eyes and happy smile; his excitement to see the ocean. A tear fell down the Dragon's cheek.

 _'I hope he will forgive me…'_

* * *

 **These Secrets Define Me!**

* * *

They stared at him. Nothing else could be said to comfort Kaneki as tears ran down his face. Lucy was mortified. _'What kind of monster would do this to him?'_ She thought. _'Kaneki, man-eater or not, is a good person. He doesn't deserve this.'_ Looking back towards him, she added, _'No one does.'_

Gray was absolutely baffled. He had expected Kaneki to say that he ate people to magnify his magic, as Mokushiroku had told them that Kaneki was able to absorb people's magical energy, but this… this was a whole new ordeal.

 _'Kaneki is a good person.'_

 ** _He eats people._**

 _'Kaneki doesn't want to eat people.'_

 ** _He does anyways._**

 _'He's part of our Guild.'_

 ** _He will betray you._**

 _'He's our friend.'_

 ** _He has many secrets._**

 _'So do I.'_

The voice was silent, to which Gray was grateful. He wasn't in the mood for a consciousness battle.

"If... if you guys want to kill me, I get it," Kaneki whispered, causing Gray's head to whip towards the Take Over Mage in shock. "I'm... not meant to even live..."

Gray's eyes went wide as he realized how much harder Kaneki's life has been. The guy never had any parents, not that he'd said, he died and was resurrected by dark magic, and Zeref cursed him to eternally crave human flesh. But Kaneki had to eat people, otherwise... he'd die.

Gray had parents that loved him until the demon Deloria killed them. He went on a quest for revenge, wishing to get stronger so that he could defeat the demon. But now, Gray realized what he had really wanted back then; To be strong enough to protect his friends.

Lucy stared at Kaneki in horror. No one… no one deserved this, not even Zeref. Not anyone at Phantom Lord; certainly not Gajeel, or anyone else in their right mind. For the first time, she realized how truly and utterly alone Kaneki must be. He is the only one of his kind; a man-eater. A Ghoul.

She stopped, the word sounding… right. Kaneki Ghoul. Kaneki is a Ghoul. _Ghoul..._

His words, however, snapped her abruptly out of her musings, and she clenched her fists in anger. How dare he say that his life had no meaning! Without him, Erza wouldn't have had the resolve to leave the Tower; without him, Erza never would have joined Fairy Tail, and without Kaneki, they would have lost the battle with Phantom Lord.

 ** _Why are you defending a monster?_** A voice asked curiously. Lucy bared her teeth in a rabid snarl, not even wanting to seem sane.

 _'Because he is a good, honest to god_ human being _,'_ She spat _. 'he's worth way more than anyone at the Guild. He is part of our team, our Guild; our_ family _.'_

The voice didn't say another word, to which Lucy was grateful for. She was too pissed off at Kaneki, though.

"I'm... not meant to even live..."

The Celestial Spirit Mage abruptly stood up, and without warning, slapped him on the face. Hard.

"Shut the fuck up," She hissed to everyone's shock. "if anyone has a reason to live, it's you. You're the one who saved Erza from the Tower of Heaven; you're the one who brought her to Fairy Tail. You're the one who saved the Guild from Phantom Lord, and you're part of our team and part of our family."

She glared down at him, his brown eyes glimmering with self-loathing, but as he looked up at her, she saw – dare she say it – hope in those eyes. Hope that he wasn't a monster after all.

She gave him a small, kind smile and added, "I think you're the most human out of us all."

Kaneki's eyes went as wide as saucers, and a tear fell down, one after another. "Th- thank you," He whispered, and then his body was racked with sobs. Tears ran down his face, but they were tears of joy; joy at being accepted.

Happy grinned, glad to have some say in this angst-filled conversation. "No problem!" The blue cat chirped. "If anything, it's Natsu who should be thanking you! You did save him several times, after all!"

Kaneki gave Happy a dumb stare, accompanied by an owlish blink. "...I did?"

Gray burst out laughing at Kaneki's face, and Lucy joined in, giggling until they were all laughing like idiots, rolling on the ground in uncontrollable fits of laughter.

To their surprise, their laughter woke up Natsu, who shot upwards and yelled, "WAT'D I DO?!" Unfortunately for the Dragon Slayer, he sat up a bit too forcefully, and amazingly he was airborne for a few seconds... and then rammed his head against the ceiling.

This only got everyone laughing even harder, and Kaneki was finding it hard to breathe. Natsu, after he had recovered, just watched them with an incredulous look on his face and scratched his head as he tried to make sense of what was going on.

When the laughter subsided and they all exchanged entertained grins, save for Natsu who was still completely confused. Kaneki held back waves of fear as he gazed nervously at the Dragon Slayer. Biting his lips out of a nervous habit he rarely showed, Kaneki took in a deep breath and exhaled, trying to calm down his beating heart and the ever-present instincts, which were hammering his head, whispering things he didn't want to hear.

 ** _Monster._**

 ** _Inhuman._**

 ** _Demon._**

 ** _Man-Eater._**

 ** _Oath-breaker._**

 ** _Promise leaver._**

 _'Shut up,'_ He hissed. The voices calmed, but he could still sense them, fluttering around in his head, ready for the next wave of fear and doubt to rise so that they could attack.

Realizing he was only avoiding the inevitable, Kaneki exhaled and rubbed his eyes with a pinched expression, betraying his conflicting emotions. Just as he was prepared to up and leave the room and leave Lucy and Gray to do the talking, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked over his shoulder to see Erza standing in front of him, a sad smile on her face as she looked down at him.

Regaining his senses, Kaneki noticed that Wally, Sho, and Milliana had also entered the room. All four of them smelled like sea water, which betrayed their original location.

 _"I wanna see the Ocean, Tou-chan!"_ A little voice chirped in the back of his mind. _"Can you take me there?"_

Kaneki shook his head; he didn't want to deal with Ko or his past memories right now.

Natsu blinked, glancing at Erza, then to Kaneki, then to Gray, Lucy, Sho, Wally, and Milliana.

"Okay... what's goin' on?" Natsu asked, scratching his head yet again. Unbidden anger swelled inside of Kaneki; anger he hadn't felt since -

 _'Don't think about it; don't think about it,'_ He told himself furiously. As the memories tried to rise, he fought them back. He didn't want to see them; he couldn't. Not now.

"Natsu..." Kaneki started, then bit back a sigh as he tried to think of a way to explain everything to the Dragon Slayer. "I... I eat humans."

The half-human clenched his fists trying to keep his tears from falling, but he went on. He had to. "I- I was killed when I was a little kid, and Zeref..." Kaneki gulped, and looked down to his lap, not wanting to meet the Dragon Slayer's eyes. "...Zeref used the Tower to bring me back to life."

He could hear how some in the room stiffened with surprise. He could sense their nervousness, almost taste their fear. Kaneki bit his lip, fighting harder than ever to keep the tears at bay.

 **"Kid... go ahead,"** Akuma whispered. **"Let it out. You've kept it in for far too long."**

Those words were all it took for Kaneki to feel a mix of anger well up inside him again, fighting for its place beside the fear.

"I never asked for this!" He screamed, startling Lucy and causing Gray to jump. Erza moved back a step, and yet Natsu hadn't even flinched. "I never asked to be a monster! I never asked to exist!"

He felt like crying; his body shook with sobs, and yet no tears fell. "I don't have anything to live for..."

"Shut up," Natsu growled. Kaneki stiffened, fear running through him like adrenaline. He was absolutely terrified, and yet he still couldn't tear down his mask.

"So what if you eat humans?" The Dragon Slayer continued. "You're part of Fairy Tail. Any past you had before you joined the Guild is absolutely destroyed. It doesn't exist anymore."

The Salmon haired boy leaned in, eye to eye with the half-human. "You're part of our team, our Guild, our _family_. You really wanna have something to live for? Think of Erza. Where would she be if you hadn't met her all those years ago, and brought her to Fairy Tail? Where would the Guild be if you hadn't destroyed the Giant?" He leaned in closer, and for a moment, Kaneki didn't see Natsu.

"You belong here, so cut the crap about it. You're part of the Guild; you're a Faerie, and you're part of our team." The Dragon Slayer gave him a goofy grin, adding, "And like it or not, you exist. And I think it's pretty cool."

Tears fell down Kaneki's face, one by one, and then he sobbed, over and over and over again, until he ended with a scream that nearly tore open his throat.

No... he didn't see Natsu just then. What he saw... Was himself.

* * *

 **These Secrets Define Me!**

* * *

That night, Kaneki helped Lucy cook them all dinner, enjoying their faces when they heard that even though he couldn't eat their food, he could still cook considerably well. Happy took one bite out of raw salmon Kaneki had marinated and cried tears of joy, proclaiming to the heavens, "THIS IS AMAZING! KANEKI YOU HAVE TO MAKE ME MOOOOOOORE!"

The half-human had just backed up slowly, sweat dropping at Happy's reaction.

As they ate, he watched, laughing when Gray and Lucy forced food into Sho's mouth, earning a blanc* from Wally and the others, except for Erza and Happy, who were still eating.

Natsu blanched* only because Gray had stolen the food from the Dragon Slayer's plate, so a brawl started in record time, only stopping when Natsu came dangerously close to roasting Erza's cake.

With that disaster diverted and all the food gone **,** Milliana begged for Natsu to show her some of his Dragon Slayer magic, to which he obliged, blowing a Roar into the air and harmlessly searing the oxygen on the balcony, which was where they were.

Kaneki still couldn't believe it, even though he tried his hardest not to show it. They accepted him. They weren't going to treat him like a monster because of it. He... he was home.

A tear fell down his face, and Kaneki quickly turned away from the others, facing the ocean as he wiped it away. He smiled and closed his eyes as the memory came to him, whispering their words like voices in the wind.

 _"Tou-chan, what is an Ocean?"_

 **"The ocean is a huge, sparkling body of water that is usually surrounded by sandy beaches. There are sometimes islands inside of the ocean, though."**

 _"Like freckles?"_

 **"Ha ha ha, yeah, like that."**

 _"I wanna see it one day! Tou-chan! Can you take me there?"_

 **"...One day, Kologia. One day."**

 _"Aw man... Oi, tou-chan! Can we go fishing tomorrow?"_

 **"Sure! Maybe we could go for a fly."**

 _"Near the ocean?"_

 **"..."**

 _"...Rats."_

Kaneki smiled and leaned on the railing with his hands, allowing his body to go into a relaxed position. He was Ko, and Ko was him. Somehow, in the Tower, Ko had died and was brought back to life by Zeref's magic. That was how he had come into existence; he was Ghoul, the Monster in the Night, the Reaper of Souls, the Bane of Humanity.

He stiffened when he heard Erza cry out in surprise, and he whipped around to find Natsu and Gray tickling her, with Happy cheering them on and Lucy backing up slowly and Milliana, Wally and Sho laughing at their friends' expense.

A smile formed yet again, and he turned back to face the ocean and the setting sun. But now... now he was also Kaneki, older brother to Erza Scarlet and Take Over Mage of Fairy Tail. He was the one who destroyed the Giant and saved the Faeries from the Phantoms.

But he was also a monster.

His smile faded as reality sank in. No matter how much they pretended, he knew that deep down, they were all wary of him, wondering if he was going to strike. Preparing themselves for when he lost control, when he would inevitably-

 **"Oi, kid. Cut it out; you're giving me a headache."**

Kaneki grinned and shook his head; leave it to Akuma.

 _'Sorry,'_ He apologized, watching as the sun set farther and farther down into the ocean. _'It's just... hard to get used to. Them not trying to impale me, I mean.'_

Akuma sighed, nodding his head. **"Look kid, I know how you feel. I went through this stuff too..."**

Kaneki blinked. Akuma was... what? A Ghoul, like him? As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he shook his head, annoyed it had even appeared. Akuma couldn't be a Ghoul; he didn't even have a body.

 **"...but it could get worse before it gets better; the choice is yours."**

Kaneki sighed. _'You know what I will choose,'_ He replied. _'In order to prove I am not a monster, I will allow myself to be hurt rather than to hurt others.'_

Akuma was silent, no doubt trying to think of a reply as Kaneki watched the sunset. Far too soon, the light was barely peeking out of the horizon, and all that was left in the sky was the moon, full and shining in its dim yet beautiful brilliance.

 **"Kid... sometimes the world proves you wrong, and the only way to live is to devour them."**

Kaneki stiffened; Akuma had never said anything like this before. Ever. He always protested eating people, preferring instead that Kaneki had spoken to them first before that died, but with the packaged corpses Porlyuscia brought in, there was no need for it.

 _'If you are suggesting I am wrong believing in the slim chance that I can coexist with humans, then sit back and watch me try,'_ He hissed, unbidden anger rising inside of him. _'I'm not a monster_ , _because I allow myself to be hurt rather than hurt others.'_

 _"You may tell yourself that, but in the end, they will see themselves as nothing more than monsters,"_ A voice whispered on the wind.

Kaneki bit back a scream as pain erupted inside of his head; throbbing and throbbing and throbbing, the voices starting to get out, he had to kill he was hungry he had to eat he should eat them eat them eat them pluck the wings off the fairies eat them eat them **eat them-**

 _Are you hungry yet, Kaneki-kun?_

"Kaneki!"

The half-human whipped his head behind him, turning his body and saw that he was facing Erza, who had a serious look on her face, but he could see the slight gleam of panic in her eyes.

Immediately, he forced the voices into the back of his mind and moved over to her, his kakugan already activated, and his lower back ready to break in preparation for his Kagune to emerge.

"Have you seen Wally, Miliana or Sho?" She asked frantically, and instantly he was back at ease, his stance forgotten as he shook his head. "No, but I will help you look," He offered, and allowed his kakugan to stay, and reached his senses out, looking for any sign or trace of them. As he was concentrating, he heard Lucy, Gray and Natsu come out of their rooms, ready to help or beat up any moron who dared attack a friend of the Fairies.

Then he felt it; the three of them were climbing into a boat, prepared to leave Akane Resort behind.

Activating his kagune, only two of them emerged, and he grinned at Erza. "Don't worry, they're fine," He said, and glanced behind him towards the moonlit sky. "I have a really good idea, though..."

Erza blinked, then smiled. "I see we're using the fireworks early, then."

* * *

 **These Secrets Define Me!**

* * *

"Do you really think we can learn to mingle with the outside world?" Miliana asked as she sat on the edge of the boat, her bare feet dangling into the waves.

Sho stopped pushing the boat and raised a fist into the air. "We have to!" He exclaimed, "We can't trouble sister anymore!"

"You guys!"

They turned to see Erza, standing barefoot on the beach before them, clenching her fists in what they took as anger.

"Sister?!" Sho exclaimed, shocked that she had found them so soon. Wally bit his lip, looking down towards the interior of the boat. "All our lives, we loved inside that tower," Sho continued. "There are so many things we don't know, thousands that we're unsure of... But we want the chance to see the world with our own eyes."

"We don't want to rely on others or live for someone else's sake anymore."

He turned to face her, his brown eyes full of determination. "We want to live our life to the fullest and realize our own dreams!"

Wally tipped his hat as Sho spoke, while Miliana beamed. "That's the freedom we're looking for!"

Erza looked down at the sand, a small smile on her face as she realized there was no other way they were going to stay. "With such powerful determination, there will be nothing you cannot overcome," She said. "I'm relieved," She added, and her body shone with golden light as her appearance shifted, revealing a large heirloom looking armor. In her hand was a large lance, a black flag flying at the top with the Fairy Tail symbol emblazoned in gold.

"However, are three oaths you must take before leaving Fairy Tail," She continued. "Engrave them on your hearts!"

"Leaving? But we never joined in the first place!" Wally exclaimed, but his words fell upon deaf ears.

"One!" Eza cried, her eyes full of fierce determination. "You will not reveal any privileged to outsiders while you still breathe."

Wally, Sho and Miliana could only stare. What was she doing?! They had never joined the Guild, so why was she... doing this for them? Why?

"Two! You must never use clients you met through the Guild for personal gain!"

"Three! Though we take different paths, you must always live your lives with might and determination! Never consider your life insignificant!"

They could only stare as tears started to form, their emotions bubble up in a seething mess.

"Never in your life are you allowed to forget your friends!" Tears were coming from Erza as well. Both eyes in fact.

They were shaking now, unable to hold back their tears any longer.

Erza lifted her lance high, her head raised up towards the sky as she proclaimed, "Let the Fairy Tail send off begin!"

Lucy, Gray, Natsu, and Kaneki popped into view, grins on their faces as they each knew what was coming next. Natsu took in a deep breath and started shooting out fireballs from his mouth, aimed at the sky and taking no time to see if they were going high enough or not. They exploded in the night sky, sending shimmering light down towards the ground as gravity took hold.

Wally, Sho and Milana could only cry more, happiness surging and replacing the sadness that had held them for so long.

"May they blossom in our souls, these flowers of light!" Erza cried, tears falling freely and she made no move to wipe them away.

"Here goes!" Gray yelled, and pressed his hands together, then thrust them towards the sky, a bright shower of blue light following and exploding, falling down and eroding into nothingness.

"My turn!" Lucy called, and held up one of her keys, waving it high above her head in a circular motion, and then allowed the magic to escape, shooting up into the night sky and exploding into stars.

Kaneki grinned, watching the spectacle and decided he should give it a try. With a small wince, he ripped off a tentacle and threw it up into the air, his enhanced strength flinging it higher than one would expect.

The single Kagune, with a bit of pressure from Kaneki's willpower, exploded into a huge wave of bright red light, specks of purple showering down with the red as the wind took the sparks away.

Quickly, Kaneki pulled his cloak over his back so that they wouldn't notice the slow stem of blood forming, but grinned as he watched the spectacle of fireworks.

"To be honest, I would've loved to stay with you all forever," Erza said to no one as she watched them sail away, tears in their eyes. "However, if that means preventing you from moving forward, then I wish you the best on your journey."

"It's not like that, Eru-chan!" Miliana wailed.

"If we stuck around, we'd only bring all of those horrible memories back to you!" Wally added, wiping his nose on his sleeve.

"Wherever you may go, I will never forget any of you," She continued, her tears still falling. "But... it's those painful memories that motivate us to embrace tomorrow and become stronger."

More fireworks were thrust into the air, and Kaneki ripped off another tentacle and thrust it farther than the one he had already thrown, grinning as it exploded into different shades of reds and purples, accenting the night sky.

"To those still out there... stay strong! And I too will never falter from this moment on! As long as you remember this day, we are certain to meet again."

Miliana waved as their boat drew farther and farther away from shore. "You too, sister!" Sho called out, Wally blowing his nose from the earlier words.

"Bye bye Eru-chan!" Miliana yelled, waving her hands with a friendly smile on her face.

"We'll definitely meet again! It's a promise!" Wally called out, grinning from ear to ear and fingering his tan scarf.

Erza smiled as the boat faded into the horizon, the light of the moon seeming to beam down at them as firework after fireworks went off, sending light into the sky and reflecting onto the ocean.

"It's a promise."

* * *

 **These Secrets Define Me!**

* * *

"HUUUUUUUUH?!"

All six of them stared at the Guild Hall. It had been finished, and damn was it huge!

"What a surprise, they've finished it!" Erza remarked. "It's the new Fairy Tail!" Lucy cried happily.

Kaneki shook his head at their antics; but all the same, he was fairly surprised they actually got it done in the allotted time. He had expected it to take another week of work when they got back, but apparently not.

As they walked inside, Natsu blinked as the saw what had once been tan open courtyard. "We have an open-air cafe now?"

Lucy deadpanned as she took a glance to her left. "We sell merchandise too?"

The seller behind the bar greeted them with a wave. "Welcome! Oh, it's you guys?"

With a shrug, Kaneki followed Happy over to the booth, knowing that the others would come soon as well. "Oh! Max is running the Shop!" Happy exclaimed, flying over. "It's been ages."

Max nodded, leaning on the counter. He scratched the side of his head in what seemed to be a sheepish habit, but Kaneki wasn't one to talk. "Master suggested I should learn do this kind of job," Max said with a small smile.

Lucy seemed to recognize the guy from somewhere because she popped up by his booth out of nowhere and beamed at him like he was a celebrity. "Are you Max Aroze? The one in Sorcerer's Weekly?!" She cried.

Akuma went pale. **"Oh shit. We have another Juvia on our hands..."**

Kaneki sweat dropped. _'Let us pray such a thing won't ever happen again. One Juvia is enough.'_

Akuma nodded. **"Agreed."**

Max turned to face her, a creepy grin on his face. "Ah, It's nice to finally meet you in person, Miss Lucy! I've heard many things about you."

Akuma glared at Max. **"Pervert,"** Was all the Link said before he descended back into Kaneki's mindscape. Kaneki had to give it to his link, though - The grin Max had, and the glittering sparkles on the side of his face was a damn sure sign of a pervert.

"I don't even want to think of the types of gossip you heard," Lucy moaned and sank down to the ground, comical tears coming from her eyes.

Happy ignored this, as did most of the others as the blue cat asked, "Hey, what are you selling?"

Max chuckled and turned towards Happy, saying, "We got T-shirts, wristbands, mugs and towels. But our number one seller is..."

"A Lucy figurine!" Happy cried, holding the small plastic doll with a grin on his face.

"Don't make those things without my permission!" Lucy wailed, not even wanting to hear what was coming next. Kaneki snickered; Never a dull moment with this Guild, that's for sure.

"The clothes are removable, of course!" Max added, and the plastic items fell off the figurine, revealing a simple white bikini. Lucy was appalled and stared at it in horror.

Akuma could only laugh, and soon Kaneki was following suit, laughing until tears threatened to come. They all stared at him, except for Happy, who was fingering the figurine in... well, let's not go there.

"What's so funny?" Gray asked the Take Over Mage, who was red in the face but had otherwise calmed down.

"Just like... the master," Kaneki gasped, shoving down his giggles. "Making a... perverted toy he could use."

Lucy blanked, despair rolling off her in waves. "Nooo..." She moaned, falling to her knees in mock defeat, anime tears still falling from her eyes.

Kaneki snickered and formed his Kagune, wincing when it stung his sensitive skin but ignored the pain in favor of picking up the depressed Celestial Mage and carried her piggy-back style into the Guild Hall. Which was huge and miraculously clean.

Inside, Kaneki set Lucy down on a chair and looked around. There were more tables, but they were smaller and left a bit more room to walk.

"...looks nice," Was all he could say. Erza nodded behind him. "Ah, it's impressive."

Gray blinked, then turned around towards the Dragon Slayer, who was sulking in his scarf, which was pulled up over his mouth. "What's up, Natsu?" Gray asked.

Natsu bristled. "It's different..."

"Lu-chan, welcome home!"

Kaneki blinked and looked out towards the tables. Levy was walking up to them, her petite form bouncing and her blue hair bobbing as she neared them. Lucy snapped out of her previous depressed state at Levy's arrival.

The Celestial Mage seemed to take in the sights just then, and Levy laughed at Lucy's face, which was full of surprise and awe. "Amazing, isn't it? We even have an indoor pool behind the bar now!"

"Welcome back!" A little boy called. He was damp and dressed in swimming trunks; no doubt he had been swimming a bit before they arrived.

"Why a pool?" Lucy deadpanned. Kaneki eyed the boy with interest; he didn't seem to have any magical talents, none that he could sense anyways. Must be somebody's kid... He smirked at a ridiculous but true image. Could this kid be Azlack and Bisca's...?

Natsu bristled again, a bit more fiercely this time. "It's all different..."

"Downstairs, there's a rec center," Levy continued, leading them down the steps. Kaneki blinked as he saw Reedus playing Pool, with Macao off to the side and holding a staff off his own, grinning as he greeted them. "Yo!"

Wakaba turned from his game of Target and a smile formed on his face when he saw them. "Finally returned, eh?"

"This is all overdoing it..." Lucy deadpanned yet again. Kaneki however was panicking inwardly, though his face remained stoic. Where the hell was he supposed to eat now?!

"So different..." Natsu mumbled, his head buried even more into his scarf, covering his nose and making him look like a ninja, somewhat.

Leaving the basement, Levy led them back to the first floor, pointing up towards the second floor with a grin. "But the biggest change is the second floor," She said. "Now everyone is allowed up there."

As if to prove her point, Elfman walked up by the railing and saluted them with two fingers, and Kaneki grinned and saluted back.

"Of course, taking on an S-class quest still requires having at least an S-class mage on your team," She added.

Kaneki smirked as he looked around. Place wasn't half bad, but the pool was a bit overkill. He sighed at the thought. He could swim as good as the next person, but wearing a skin-tight shirt to cover up his random scars, lower back and Magic Circle would cause questions. Plus he hated it.

He sulked slightly; swimming was definitely something he wasn't going to around them.

"Finally back, my wayward children?"

They all turned towards the voice, and there he stood: Makarov Dreyar, wearing his obnoxious as ever clothing and a goofy grin on his face. Some instinct in Kaneki told him to back away and look submissive, but he ignored it and gave him a frieldly wave.

"Master!" Erza exclaimed, momentarily surprised.

Kaneki blinked when he saw the person standing next to the petite man; she was wearing a white and blue dress that was short, barely long enough to cover her knees, and gloves reaching up to her shoulders were on her hands. She looked, dare he admit it; kind of cute. But given the look Gray had on his face, Kaneki could tell she was taken and made a resolution to never, ever make a move.

"Meet our newest member, Juvia Lockser," Makarov introduced. "Cute, isn't she?"

Juvia smiled and did a small curtsy, saying, "Nice to meet you all!"

Gray laughed. "So you really joined up, huh?"

"Thanks for your support back at Akane," Erza added, taking a step forward.

Juvia cocked her head to the side slightly, a large grin on her face, her cheeks tinged pink slightly. "It's all thanks to everyone! Juvia will work her hardest!"

Akuma moaned. **"Why... just why...?"**

Lucy smiled back, waving her hand. "All the best!"

"Love rival!" Juvia snarled, her kawai demeanor forgotten as a dark and deadly 'fuck off' aura formed around her. Lucy sweat dropped. "I'm really not..."

"Then there's our other new member," Makarov added, completely ignoring the Aura Juvia was giving off. "Come, introduce yourself."

A hulking form shifted behind them, and Gray, Kaneki, Natsu, and Erza turned to see...

Lucy gasped, and Gray went pale. "H-Hey, you can't be..."

"Gajeel!" Natsu roared, preparing himself in a fighting stance, same with Gray. "What's this bastard doing here?!" The Ice Make Wizard exclaimed. Kaneki's Kagune erupted from his back and formed their usual scorpion-like positions, and he gazed at Gajeel with deadly cold eyes.

Eyes that weren't afraid to kill.

"Wait!" His Kagune withdrew slightly as a hand was placed on his shoulder, and he turned to see Juvia, biting her lip and her eyes shining with urgency. "Juvia asked him to come along..."

Erza's eyes hardened. "Juvia is acceptable, but this guy was the main perpetrator in the destruction of our Guild!"

 **"Yeah, but look at what you guys have done with the place."** Akuma scoffed. **"Way bigger now, with added bonus's!"**

Gajeel looked away, and Kaneki froze as he saw the smallest, most insignificant speck of regret in those smug red eyes. He withdrew his Kagune completely, allowing them to sink back into his flesh. Gajeel was... sorry?

Kaneki snorted; like hell the bloody iron bastard would ever admit that to their faces.

"Now, now," Makarov said slowly. "Yesterday's enemies are today's friends."

"Um, I'm not against it at all," Levy squeaked from underneath a booth seat. Lucy turned to look at the small Script Mage and shivered when she caught the eyes of Droy and Jet, who were glaring at Gajeel. If looks could kill, she bet the Iron Dragon Slayer would be dead by tomorrow.

"Don't joke around!" Natsu roared, leaning towards Gajeel with an absolutely pissed expression. "Like I could ever work with this guy!"

Gajeel turned to look Natsu in the face, his red beady eyes gleaming with annoyance. "Rest assured, the feeling is mutual," He sneered. Natsu stood back as Gajeel sat up, adding, "I just need jobs, that's all. Never thought I'd ever have to work for this annoying, pathetic Guild."

Natsu raised his fists. "What was that?" He hissed, fully prepared and itching to punch the guy straight in the face.

Kaneki, meanwhile, had tuned all of this out and was focusing on a much bigger problem: His hunger. From everything that had happened at the Tower, he was dangerously low, and the small cubes he had brought with him had only curbed his need. Now his mouth was salivating as he breathed in and out - It didn't help his control at all with the fact that Lucy was only a foot away from him.

Subconsciously, he leaned forward, his kakugan forming, Kagune seconds away from erupting and holding down his prey...

 **"KID!"**

Snapped out of his trance, Kaneki jumped back, panting heavily. Lucy turned around, a frown on her face as she saw Kaneki, beads of sweat forming on his forehead and panting heavily. "Kaneki...?"

"Gajeel-kun was always alone, Juvia couldn't help it..." Juvia explained hurriedly to Gray, who was regarding Gajeel coldly. Realizing what she had said, Juvia added, "But it's not like I like him or anything!"

"Old men like me have to take responsibility for guiding young men who have strayed off course," Makarov commented. "He's not completely bad, you know." Sweat dropping, he added, "At least, I don't believe so..."

Erza nodded. "If that's Master's final decision, I won't oppose it," She said. "But for the time being, it's the best if we keep him under observation."

Makarov nodded. "Right..."

"Help!" Lucy yelled, shocking most of the nearby members, who whirled around to see the Celestial Mage kneeling over the unconscious form of Kaneki, who had collapsed onto the ground in a heap. His body was shaking, quivering as if fighting off something they couldn't see. His knuckles were white from holding his hands into fists for so long, and blood was coming out of his palms.

"Ani-san!" Erza exclaimed, dashing towards his unconscious form. Natsu followed suit, his oncoming brawl with Gajeel completely forgotten. Gray stood close to Juvia, who was fretting over the Take Over Mage's condition. Makarov was taking in Kaneki's appearance and cursed.

"Gray! Natsu! Pick him up and follow me!" Makarov ordered. The two men instantly obeyed, balancing Kaneki between the both of them, one arm around the other's shoulders as they walked as fast as they could after the Master.

Juvia followed close behind, already having a close suspicion over what was going on. Levy and Gajeel, on the other hand, were point blank clueless. But while Levy was worried for her Guild Mate's safety, Gajeel only sighed and walked away, muttering, "Stupid brat."

Levy glared at Gajeel's retreating form, then turned back to where Makarov was leading them towards the infirmary. Biting her lip, she whispered a prayer.

"Please be okay..."

* * *

 **These Secret's Define Me!**

* * *

Makarov led them towards a door, which was basically kicked down by Erza, who had taken it upon herself to clear a path through the Guild. Needless to say, most of the members had seen Kaneki being practically dragged by Natsu and Gray, and they were all hovering close to the infirmary door, wondering and worrying over Kaneki's condition.

Inside was a white-washed walled infirmary, holding at least four more beds than their old one had, a bigger window and larger cabinets holding more supplies.

"Set him down!" Makarov ordered, but Natsu and Gray had already started placing Kaneki onto a bed. The Guild Master raced to a rug on the floor and pulled it away, revealing a hidden trap door.

"Close the blinds!" He called out behind him, and Lucy raced to do as she was told. Makarov hesitated in unlocking the door with so many people in the room; the boy had begged him not to reveal his true nature to anyone in the Guild.

But hearing Kaneki scream in agony was enough for Makarov to change his mind. With a thought of, _'I'm sorry, Kaneki,'_ He pulled the lock out from his pocket and unlocked the trapdoor quickly, reaching down and pulling out a small paper package.

Making sure he had enough for him, Makarov grabbed another package and quickly checked to see how many were left. Five.

As he quickly closed and locked the trapdoor yet again, Makarov felt the magic activate itself again to keep the meat cool for the boy.

He stood up and hurried over to Kaneki, who was thrashing wildly on the bed. "Back up!" He ordered, and those nearest to the patient obliged, worry on their faces.

Hurriedly, he unwrapped one of the paper sacks and with a small wince, held the raw meat in his hand and with expert precise, shoved it into the thrashing boy's open mouth.

Instantly, the movement stopped as Kaneki's eyes went wide, and he gulped the food down ravenously, not bothering to look civil what-so-ever.

With growing horror the others realized what they were witnessing, and what they had just saw. Makarov kept a stash of human flesh in the infirmary. He just fed Kaneki a human being.

Lucy went green in the face, and she reached for a trashcan and puked whatever was let of her lunch. Gray looked sick while Natsu eyed the trapdoor warily. Erza remained impassive, but turned her head away as Kaneki ate. She didn't want to see it.

Juvia placed a Water Barrier spell on the door, preventing anyone from looking inside or opening the door out of curiosity. She was tempted to do the same for the large window, but decided against it as the blinds were thick and closed over the glass.

As the last of the meat slipped down his throat, Kaneki seemed to relax, and his previously desperate air faded.

But as he relaxed, he seemed to realize what he had just done... and the people he was facing. Much to Makarov's surprise, however, he didn't burst into tears or ask to leave the Guild. Instead he lowered his head in shame and guilt, self loathing evident on his face.

Natsu blinked, then laughed. "Ah, you're no better then Happy with fish!" Obviously, he was trying to disperse the awkward and tense atmosphere, and it helped a bit, but not much.

"Kaneki?" Erza asked, looking down at him. Like a child, Kaneki looked up at her and squirmed under her gaze. "How long... have you been hungry?"

A small smile formed on his face, and he looked back down at the mattress. "Since the Tower exploded, I guess..."

Makarov blinked. "You all know?" He was answered with various nods around the room. He sighed and rubbed his temples; this was one headache he wasn't in the mood for. Glancing at the door, he noticed with satisfaction that it was already blocked, and gave Juvia a nod of thanks.

The Water Mage nodded, a small smile on her face and turned towards Kaneki, who had unwrapped the second package and was slowly eating it, a solemn look in his eyes.

Makarov sighed. "Kaneki's condition cannot be known by anyone else in the Guild, do you understand?" He said. "If word about what he is got to the Council... they'd kill him without a second thought and disband Fairy Tail for allowing him to exist as long as he has."

They all winced at the thought, and Erza nodded. "Understood, Master," She said, then picked up the discarded brown paper that had coated Kaneki's previous meal and held it aloft. "But if I may ask, who does he eat?"

Lucy shivered at the word 'who.' It was... odd to think of Kaneki eating a person when he was holding raw meat in his hand, but she knew exactly what that meat had once been. A living, breathing human being, with a life and thoughts and emotions and loved ones.

Makarov sighed again, then glanced at Kaneki with an obvious plea to explain. Swallowing the last of the meat and placing the wrapper onto a simple nightstand next to him, he sighed and said, "I eat patients of Porlyuscia who have done horrible acts of treason, like killing another human or something along those lines."

Glancing at them all, he bit the inside of his cheek and continued. "But if those patients survive Porlyuscia's treatment and I am out of resources, I scavenge the Mongolia Hospital Morgue." Looking them all in the eyes, he added, "I only eat those who deserve to be eaten. I promise you."

Juvia was the first one to break the silence, saying slowly, "Juvia-chan will not tell a single soul of Kaneki-kun's condition," She said. "She owes him."

Confused looks were exchanged across the room; she owed him? Kaneki only gave her a small smile of thanks. "Graitias," He said softly. Juvia blinked in surprise before smiling and replying with, "Tibi grata sunt."

Natsu scratched his head at their words, but shrugged and said, "Ah, me too! I'll keep my mouth shut."

"Same here," Gray said with a nod. He eyed Lucy, who looked a bit nervous and slightly green, but she sighed and nodded her head. "Not a word."

Erza nodded and gave Kaneki a kind smile. "None of us will tell anyone, Kaneki," She said. "I promise."

Kaneki smiled at them all, his brown eyes full of determination as he moved to leave the bed. As he left the room after Juvia dispelled her magic, the others followed suit and were shocked to find half of the Guild standing close to the door.

Levy was the first to react when the door opened, rushing over to Kaneki and grabbing his hand, saying, "Oh my gods! Are you okay? What happened! Why was it so quiet in there?!" As she quickly checked his forehead for fever, Macao laughed and clapped Kaneki on the back. "We panicked there," He said. "One minute you're fine and the next you're having a seizure on the ground."

Kaneki rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Yeah... about that..."

"He was just extremely exhausted," Lucy interjected, surprising the half-human. "At Akane we ran into some trouble, and we somehow got stuck on a random island..." She eyed Gray, who hurriedly continued with her improvised tale.

"Yeah, for some reason this idiot decided it was okay to keep watch all night for the entire time without waking any of us up," Gray growled, giving Kaneki a glare that wasn't missed by a single soul. "Anyways, this idiot lies about sleeping and we get back here only for him to pass out from exhaustion."

He playfully whacked Kaneki on the back of the head, earning a small yelp from the half-human, who hadn't expected it. "Moron," Gray added.

Kaneki pouted at Gray's words, earning chuckles from everyone. "So how come you're awake?" Wakaba called out from somewhere in the crowd.

"Juvia-chan had a potion to give Kaneki-kun energy," Juvia spoke up. "Kaneki-kun still needs to sleep, though." She added, sending him a pointed glare.

Kaneki deadpanned at their story. While it left no room for questions it was still considerably vague, although he was pretty tired...

He sighed. "Fine, fine. I'll go to sleep in a bit. I just want to pick out a job first," He added and glanced down at the Master, who nodded.

"I told Mira you have clearance for the S-class jobs. Don't grab one harder than you need," He warned. Kaneki nodded. "Ah, thanks Makarov."

Natsu's jaw dropped. "You- what- I-" He stammered. Gray rolled his eyes and eyed Kaneki with new found respect. "I'm not surprised you're an S-class Mage," He remarked. "But the Trials aren't until next year, so how are you...?"

Kaneki smiled. "When I left Erza here fifteen years ago, Makarov said that if I came back with my mission fulfilled I would become an S-class," He said with a small hint of pride.

Lucy blinked. "Mission?"

Kaneki sighed as he realized he hadn't told them. "I left because I didn't want to put Erza in danger, and I wanted to have a better understanding of what I was," He explained. "I didn't want to put anyone in the Guild in danger either because I wasn't able to contain my hunger."

Juvia looked nervous. "And how often does Kaneki-kun need to eat?" She asked.

He shrugged. "Depends on how much I consume," He answered, thankful that the crowd had dispersed and that Levy was no longer in sight. "I can last up to three months without food, but if I get injured or go without sleep for a long period of time, I need to eat soon afterwords, otherwise my... instincts will take over and I'll eat the closest person in sight."

Lucy stiffened at his words and bit her lip as she realized what he was so close to doing earlier.

Erza smiled at him. "You'll be a great help in the Trials," She said. "I was worried it would only be me, Gildarts, Mira and Mystogan again. The last time we had the trials-"

She broke off when the lights turned off, and the stage lit up. Mira was sitting on a chair, a guitar in her hands and a Microphone hovering close to her.

Waving his arm in greeting, Natsu called out, "Oi, Mira! We're home!"

"Welcome home," She beamed from the stage. Turning back to her audience, she said, "To celebrate Natsu and the rest coming home safely, I would like to sing a song for this party."

Strumming on her guitar, she opened her mouth and started to sing.

 _The world reflected in your dreaming eyes seemed so beautiful,_  
 _but just by remembering our doubts, will we become cowardly?_

 _Back when we laughed together, thinking that we were alike,_  
 _you gently forgave my small lies._

Kaneki stiffened at those words and glanced at the others, who were all watching Mira on the stage and smiling at her melody. Shaking his head, he left their company and headed towards the second floor.

 _Even if we don't have a place to go back to, I won't mind,_  
 _because I will protect your smile._

He promised to protect Erza, and the only way to do that was to become stronger. And he was going to become stronger; stronger than Gildarts Clive and Acnologia if he had to. Stronger than Zeref.

 _As many meetings and partings as there are stars in the sky,_  
 _and all the things I don't want to lose,_  
 _now, I don't feel like I need any of them._  
 _I just want to be by your side, and see_  
 _all the joy and sadness, and everything else._

As much as he wanted to stay at the Guild, he couldn't. He needed to leave, to clear his head and fully acknowledge that they had accepted him, and the best way to do that was to take a job that would be challenging yet fun.

 _As I grew up, I gradually ended up forgetting_  
 _to always be true to my own heart._

 _You gave me some pieces of courage,_  
 _so I'll give you the flower that blossomed within my heart._

 _You told me about my overflowing tears,_  
 _and about the things I mustn't lose,_  
 _and how they are still within my heart, just like they were back then._  
 _Your smile, which is as bright as the sun_  
 _is the reason why I've become this strong._

As he eyed the board critically, searching for a job he knew would be good, he couldn't help but reflect on Mira's words. He smiled; Erza was the reason he was this strong already, and he'd be damned if he let himself grow weak.

 _As many meetings and partings as there are stars in the sky,_  
 _and all the things I don't want to lose,_  
 _now, I don't feel like I need any of them._  
 _I just want to be by your side, and see_  
 _all of the joy and sadness._

With a grin, he found the job he wanted and ripped it off the board. As the song neared it's end, he took off his cloak and threw it into a large trash basin. He was long overdue to buy another one.

 _Let us begin, here and now._  
 _Let us start our tomorrow together._  
 _Let us hold on to the feelings we had when we were born._  
 _Like a flower, swaying in the summer wind,_  
 _now, let us make this moment bloom._

He slipped out the door quietly and headed towards his apartment complex, slipping in through the always open window and taking a quick shower before dressing himself in fresh attire and pulling an old crimson cloak over himself. With a raised eyebrow he found that it had a hood.

Rummaging around in his drawers, he found a spare medical eyepatch and placed it over his left eye. Never could be too careful.

He folded the job placement and tucked it into an inside fold inside the cloak and grabbed a small package of cubes. Who knew how long this job would take.

As he checked to make sure the door was locked, he slipped out the window again and started towards the train station, humming as he went.

"Your smile, which is as bright as the sun, is the reason why I've become this strong~"

* * *

 **These Secrets Define Me!**

* * *

 **Next Time on Fairy Tail!**

Laxus attacks the Guild, what for? Kaneki is no where to be found - What job did he take? And why does this 'Angel' girl insist he knew her? Find out next time on : Lost Memories!

* * *

 **...Oh gods was this long. I was going to split it, but after asking Frostbite he's all like, "No you've dragged this arc out as long as you could. Skip the damn angst and move on the the next thing."**

 **...So yeah. Next chappie will have a bit more reveal of what Kaneki is capable of, and Akuma commentary! Oracion Seis is next, and the reason why I'm skipping the Fantasia Parade is because it has no significance whatsoever, and I hate that arc. So yeah!**

 **Don't expect every chapter to be this long, because DAMN DID THIS TAKE ME FOREEEEVEEEER!**

 **To clarify, BTW, when I request a number of reviews, I usually wait until you guys review that much, but if it's taking so long... well, I update anyways.**

 **Expect me next month for the next chappie! [I swear to god, by the time this entire story is done I'll be in college...]**

 _ **I WANT 100 REVIEWS NOW! GET UP TO 100 AND YOU SHALL BE REWARDED!**_

 _ **OMG 10, 600 words!**_


	13. IMPORTANT! PLZ READ!

_Sorry guys, but life problems are getting in the way of me writing, and I don't do much during the summer anyways, believe it or not. In reality... I'd say a good month before I update again? Once more, really sorry that it came to this, but life comes before writing, sadly._

 _But the good news is that I have plenty of new crossover ideas, though I'm only going to publish them once I finish Torn and Frayed and Stars Cannot Shine Without Darkness. Monster that I am fans... eeeh, you're gonna be waiting for a pretty long time._

 _:I am going to be re-writing the chapters for all three stories, and will post a new AN to alert you guys so you'll know when to re-read everything._

 _Again, suuuper sorry it came to this._

 _NOTE: I am changing my username to A Lonely Rainbow Girl. PLEASE REMEMBER THIS DETAIL._

 _ **~ The Girl in the Forrest**_


	14. NOT DEAD

_SUCKERS! I'M NOT DEEEAAD!_

 _Yes, I have an excuse this time. Life has had its... difficulties, especially with my parents taking away fanfiction for several months. On the good side, it gave me time to re-think my stories and come up with waaaaay better outlines for them. On the bad side, I wasn't able to read the freshly posted goodness I've become addicted to. Or talk to my friends._

 _DRIFT-219, I AM SO SOWWWYYYYYYY!_

 _So now that I have my precious back, [and everything in my doc manager deleted itself] I shall begin re-writing my stories from the outline up._

 _AND THIS TIME I WILL HAVE THEM PRE-WRITTEN!_

ℳσηstər ʇhαʇ ї αɯ _fans, the remake title is_ Λ ｄｅｍｏｎ αɯѳngsʇ Ŧhə Ғ▲rїєs.

T๏гภ Δηd ƒяαуєd _readers, the remake title is_ Just a Ghost

Տtαrs ƈǟηɳѳt sнiиє witɦѳut DѦ૨knǝṩṩ _people, the title shall be_ I feel like I'm (ｉｎｖｉｓｉｂｌｅ)

Tнє ωαу ωє ωєяє вєfσяє _shall be continued under the same title._

 _I hope to have my chapters posted in the next two months; I know, another long wait, but hey. I'm not dead; that's something, right?_


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